Wedding weekend...

We spend most of this weekend involved in wedding activities for Jamey's cousin Amanda and her sweet new husband Alex. They are now off to enjoy beautiful fall weather in the mountains of Tennessee. Both Ansley and Stephen were a part of the wedding party. Ansley was a flower girl with her sweet little cousin Brylee and Stephen was the ring bearer. Ansley of course, loved all that being a flower girl involved - the dress, the hair, the having your picture taken a zillion times, the shoes that sounded like tap shoes on the floor in the foyer of the church. She did a great job - both little flower girls did a great job. This is actually her 4th time being a flower girl so I think she has it down pat by now.

Stephen, on the other hand, was about as oblivious as he could be about his participation in the wedding. During the rehearsal Friday night, he at one point spiked the pillow like a football on the field while he walked down the aisle. Although most of his uncles and boy cousins thought this was hilarious, I was a little concerned about a repeat "spiking" of the ring pillow during the main event on Sat. We arrived at the church at noon on Saturday for pictures and attempted to put his little 2 year old body in a tuxedo.
"Why, Mommy?" he asked me, "Do I have to wear these hard clothes?"
"Because you look handsome and you are my big boy" I told him.
"But I really like my unnerwear -can I jus wear my cars unnerwear?"

We did eventually coerce (ok, I will admit we BRIBED) him into the tux. He was not happy about it, but there was no screaming and no tears so I was taking what I could get. For every picture he took with a somewhat decent expression, he got a goldfish cracker. We also very quickly figured out that if we took off the jacket, he was a much happier participant. 30 minutes before the ceremony, he was fading fast on the back pew of the chuch - a tantrum and/or nap were clearly on the horizon. Now enters my mom into the picture who takes Stephen in her arms and while sitting with him on the back rown of the church, whispers a story about a dragon and a lost but brave little boy into the ear of my very attentive 2 year old. With music playing, guests arriving, bridesmaids rushing about - the two of them sat together in their own little world of dragons, forests, secret keys and brave little boys - and Stephen was soothed. He was happy and content and forgot that we had put him in a tie and vest and rented pants that were stiff with starch. At 3 o clock, when it was his turn, as everyone in the church turned to watch, he followed his sister and cousin down the aisle with me waiting for him at the end. He made it the whole way down the aisle swinging the pillow and with his cheeks puffed out with air - but he made it to me and was very proud of himself. I was very proud too. He walked down that aisle with no jacket and no socks ("don't like the socks touching me") - but he looked perfect.

My sweet little man, my big 5 year old Ansley, and my husband who I do actually love more today than I ever thought possible..this is my world. I am lucky.