Three Cheers for the ROYAL BABY!

And about their first public appearance following George's arrival....

1)  They are the CUTEST.
2)  Doesn't she make you fall head-over-heels for polka dots? 

Brought to you by a HOMEOWNER near you....(this is a matter of perspective and only applies to certain readers)

It's FOR REAL! Despite my last minute, crazy person ideas about being denied a key on Wednesday, we are officially moved in to our new house! Well, 50% of us is - my 50%. Phil's 50% is scheduled to arrive on August 4th (thanks Uncle Steeps and Dad P!).

Move in day was a breeze.  (And you're lucky the author of this blog is one heck of an optimist!).  Haha.  No really, it was fun.  For 50% of us, it really was fun.  Hmmm....make that 33% of us with the addition of our sweet little, teething-please-oh-please-go-away Eleanor.  Yes, 33% of us found move in day to be rather.....EXCELLENT!  Sure beats zero percent.  It's even better than 32 percent.  Yes, I'll take it.

Phil says we're never moving again and the good news is we LOVE OUR HOUSE!  We've been spending the last few days unpacking, purging, organizing and deep-breathing our way to a cozy little abode.  Phil seems to be a big fan of my childhood items, including the following mountain of beanie babies, to which he commented, "ALL OF THOSE are YOURS?!"  Mmmm hmmm....I've been known to impress even the least impressionable people with my vast collection of bean-filled buddies.

We've also enjoyed some Tassimo coffees on the back deck, listening to ten songs - the same ten songs - all day long on Canadian radio, going for walks around the "village", and sitting in my 100% gender-specific, pink/blue University chairs.  (As much fun as it is, we can't re-live our University days forever and furniture shopping has been placed on the agenda).

Tonight, Nory and I came over to Nana and Grandpa's for a sleepover.  Phil is having a boys night at the house and I needed to get some work done on my course.  Nory wasn't the happiest camper today, but 90% of me believes tomorrow will be SUPER DUPER. 

On a final note, here's a WORLD'S GREATEST THANK YOU to my family for helping us move (etc., etc.)!!!  We are so lucky to have such big-muscled all-stars in the neighbourhood ;)  WE LOVE YOU! xoxo 

HEY YOU! Remember Us?!

Nory and Coco - hanging out in the early morning :)

The traveling trio is back in our SOON-TO-BE-CANADIAN-HOMETOWN!  We arrived in Lakefield on Sunday afternoon and my excuses for NOT blogging earlier than this moment include:  my online course, bank/lawyer appointments, the "we're parents now" thing, and family time.  All legitimate reasons, ya?

We had a great time in Thunder Bay visiting with all of Phil's family and friends.  Staying at Grandma's house is TOPS.  Some reasons I love her:

1)  She called airport security looking for us when we were late showing up on her doorstep.

2)  She has a drawer in her kitchen with random sticks that she uses to throw at the big birds who are bullying the little birds at the bird feeders.

3)  After asking if she had been following The Bachelorette, she replied, "I wouldn't miss it for the world!"  She's also up for any and all television programs and acts genuinely interested in the characters.  Example:  BIG BROTHER. 

4)  She thinks nothing of my kaftan (Kuwaiti "house dress" / MOO-MOO).  

5)  We expressed an equal interest in the birth of the royal baby and rushed to the living room every morning to get a news update. 

6)  Everything just tastes better at her house. 

Oh Grandma.  All five feet of her bursts with AMAZING.

We move into our new house....our FIRST HOUSE....TOMORROW!  That makes today New House EVE.  HOOR-AH!  We have another bank appointment this morning, a visit with my friend Jennie this afternoon, and then organizing/packing/school-ing this evening.  The rest of the week includes moving (obvs), a visit with cousin Megan, Graeme's return from Europe, Dana's departure to the Philippines (BIG BOO), a Tim McGraw concert with my gal Sara (spontaneous and awesome-ly so), and unpacking!!!  BUSY, BUSY.  Or you could call me the worst summer-blogger ever.  Sigh.

Yippee-ya-hoo for the Royal Baby!  In my spare seconds, I will be refreshing People.com on my phone......

Thunder Bay Bound

We're heading to the airport in an hour to fly up north.  WOO HOO.  I mean....WOO HOO!!!!!  No, I have actually come to enjoy the place.  A little bit.  Grandma's house in particular.  It's the most wonderful little hotel on Earth.  I think being married to her baby "P.J." has something to do with it ;)

Our plans for the week:

*  playdate with Aaron, Anika and Abigail!
*  a visit with Phil's friend Peter :)
*  Grandma's 85th birthday party
*  Nana's memorial
*  great grandbaby photoshoot (Grandma now has three!)
*  time at camp
*  and, OF COURSE, time with all of Phil's family!!!!

I'm a little nervous for the two-part Porter flight.  Nory was great on our long haul flight to Canada, but I have a feeling she'll be buckled up for most of our two short flights this afternoon.  Take off, landing, take off, landing.....with only a little air time in between.  And this darling girl of ours hates to be buckled.  Hence, my worries. 

Anyways, just like the last one we're prepared for the worst, but acting so calm and collected on the surface for Nory's sake! 

The best hotel on Earth is a wireless-free zone (or is that all of Thunder Bay? BAHA), so you may not hear from me until we return on the 21st. 

ENJOY YOUR WEEK, Y'ALL!
XO

Narrating the CAMERA ROLL.....

*** Please note: This is the FIFTH time I've tried to do this post!!! For some reason, either my computer or the interweb (or my brain!) has not wanted to cooperate.  BUT - we leave for Thunder Bay in the morning and if you thought I've been a bad blogger this week, wait until next!  HA!  Enjoy this one, will ya?!  

Cuddles with Grandpa!  Grandpa has three magic words he uses to make Nory smile.  Works like a charm, every single time.  I'm not sure I can release his secret at this time ;)

Last week, Dad and I bonded over construction materials.  We drove really far to pick up long pieces of wood.  Then we went headed to Home Depot for some skinny but big pieces of wood (but stopped at Chapters en route!).  And then we went to Tim Horton's - the place we BOTH understand :)  I had a great morning, Dad! XO

Check out this "lobster claw" gift from Grandma and Grumps!!!  This little seat can fit into the diaper bag and come with us to restaurants!  Wait until IHOP Kuwait sees this!!!

Another view of the claw.  It's just SO CLEVER.  Look at Nory's little toes dangling there!

Remember how I told you her tooth started to come through?  Well - the next day we went to the mall and happened upon a store called ONE TOOTH!  HAHA!  Since then, however, the tooth has submerged into the gums and is nowhere to be seen.....this hide and seek game isn't the most fun.

Patches gets a second stamp in his PAWSPORT!  He has officially been to Ontario.  SUPERB!

Okay - I'm not sure anyone else will see the humour in this.  But this see-through, plastic tupperware container here?  It's Uncle Stephen's "purse".  Ya, it's a bin.  But really, it's a purse.  I told him he better cover it with stickers to make his important belongings a little more discreet.  Guess what?  HE DID!!!!  Good work, Stephen!

BREAKING NEWS!  Nory and Oscar are part of a secret club with Grumps called the 501 Club.  We have no idea what the 501 Club is or does, but it seems to hold regular meetings of high importance.  Grumps is the PREZ and enjoys making all club-related decisions ;)

Grandma and Grumps babysat the other morning while Phil and I did some shopping (thanks guys!!!).  We came home to find our little cutie sleeping soundly in Grandma's arms.  Grumps says we owe them more time with Nory because she slept most of the time!

Meet Elroy - Nory's elephant floatie toy :)  She LOVES this thing, as you can tell.  What a wonderful FIVE MONTH BIRTHDAY present from Grandma and Grumps!!!

SMORE night!  Nory enjoyed our late afternoon campfire but didn't really appreciate not being able to eat these sweet treats herself.  Poor gal.  Soon enough, my girl!

SPA GIRL!  Time for some more WARM TUBBIN'!  Haha, this housecoat is PRICELESS! 

WHERE'S THAT BABY?!

While getting ready to go out this morning....

Lindsay:  (disappointed) Kate hasn't had her baby yet. 

Phil:  Kate who?

Lindsay:  Kate Middleton!!!

Phil:  (laughs) You're on a first name basis with royalty?

Lindsay:  (acts surprised) You're NOT on a first name basis with royalty?!

If this sweet-as-pie, little lady goes "missing".......

BABY-NAPPERS.  You know.  Like kid-nappers, but for babies.  Anyways, my instincts tell me that this may be an issue for us.  Actually, the potential criminals have said this to my face (smooth, eh?).  They've even tried to validate this illegal act with lovey-dovey remarks about how they can't function without her - OUR (ahem!) daughter.  Here's what I want the world to know:

#1 - She's learned how to scream.

#2 -  In case our little Nory Darling ends up MIA, as in she doesn't end up on our flight to Thunder Bay and/or she doesn't make it on our flight back to Toronto and/or she doesn't end up on our flight to Kuwait...........and her parents are absolutely too distraught to cope with life.......please inform the police to begin their questioning with the following suspects:

*  Grandpa
*  Nana
*  Grumps
*  Grandma

Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,
Proud Papa and Smitten Mama (and as much as she loves her grandparents, I'm pretty sure Nory's on OUR side at age five months!)

You haven't gone swimming unless you've gone swimming with this gal!

And here are the many faces of said GAL....

(and HUNNY, I think we need a "warm tub" for the new house)....

Yesterday.

We had so many giggles together and it all started with a game of peek-a-boo.  I love that she thinks I'm the funniest person ever.

Nory, you're the cat's pajamas!  I LOVE YOU!!!

Nory's FIRST TRIP to the ZOO!!!!!!!!!

Today we ventured across the bridge to meet some friends at the Detroit Zoo.  Yep, we braved Nory's hate for long car rides, Phil's hate for finding new places, and my hate for scary graffiti and '8 mile' in order to reunite with two wonderful people we met in Kuwait.  Alas, it was a no-brainer.  Kate and Matt had a baby girl named Ada Kay 7 weeks ago and we needed to see their sweet little bundle before she started walking and talking.  Besides an embarrassing poo situation in the Tim Horton's drive thru (thanks, Nory Darling!), the trip was a great one and Nory was INCREDIBLE in the car!  I'm starting to think this hokey amber necklace is the real deal.  Enjoy the pictures!

Here we are waiting for our friends to arrive at the zoo entrance!  We seemed to be a big hit with the Zoo Volunteers.  A whole pack of sweet old ladies were eager to obtain a Parkinson Biography.  They pulled out a map and made sure we knew how to locate the lion enclosure, too.  The zoo's lion, Simba, came all the way from Qatar and they thought we could communicate with him in Arabic :)

Lily Pad Lake.  I'm not sure if it was actually called this but we enjoyed an entire boardwalk of these suckers.  You'd think we'd be able to spot a frog or two, but NOPE!  Not a single leaper in sight.  Perhaps they were taking advantage of their habitat and staying submerged to beat the heat.  We were DRIPPING FOOLS I tell ya.  Talk about a SWEATY DAY at the ZOO!

Break time!  Time to play around in the park while Ada Kay has some lunch.  It's so much fun when Daddy lifts me UP, UP, UP in the air!!!  Mommy thinks I'm funny and laughs especially hard when I make cute photos even MORE amazing as I giggle and spit all over my chin! 

This picture was taken seconds before a bunch of summer camp groups walked by.  The campers were supposed to be checking out the camels and deer, but Nory became the main attraction.  "Hey!!!  Look at that baby!!!" was a common phrase.  Yep, our little darling was a temporary zoo attraction :)

This guy's a real stud.  He walks with such swag - attracting visitors with the littlest effort.  I think he was my favourite animal of the day! 

Outfit change (for both girlies)!  When you sweat through your first one, getting into something cool and dry is a must!  This picture is here for two reasons - her hair looks really red and her eyes are so captivating!

Favourite face of the day.  She's just a ball of AWESOME.  You can see that Patches came too!  The two of them made some happy memories at this picnic table.  Oh - and check out Phil's new ring!  It belonged to his Grandad and his Dad gave it to him this week!

We LOVE playdates!  Is it sad that the best picture of the two of them involves HANDS ONLY?  YEESH.  Baby photography is tough work, y'all.  Em has a real knack for it though.  Too bad she was all the way north.

LUNCH TIME!  We were hoping for an air-conditioned venue, but sometimes your stomach takes over and leads you to wherever the closest food is.  This was my first time eating french fries in.........YEARS???  GROSS.  Oh well.

We left the zoo just before the rain came - PERFECT TIMING!  The trip back to Canadian soil was easy-peezy and we arrived home tired from a great day out (and grateful for A/C).  Nory hit the sack early and after this episode of Big Brother, we intend to do the same. 

Thanks for a wonderful day, SCHWARTZ FAMILY!  Your daughter is a real beauty and we can't wait to watch the little ladies run around together next summer!