Walking down the aisle and dance fever (with video to proof it)

Last year my sweetest friend ever, Kristen, got engaged! I couldn't have been happier for her! Kristen was a year younger than me in the Kappa Delta house and roomed together my junior year. Although she wasn't my "little" in the sorority....I always kind of felt like her and Sarah were both my littles (oh....to be back in college....ha!). She was a bridesmaid in our wedding. Kristen is an elementary school teacher and I can only imagine how much those kids must love her. She is so sweet and patient and I can't even imagine her raising her voice at them. You get the picture....she is a great friend and a wonderful person. And so I was oh so very honored and excited when she asked Brody and Meg to be in the wedding. I was also a little hesitant to say yes. Most of the time I spend with Kristen is without kids (meeting for lunch, showers, etc.) stuff without kids. So I don't think she fully knew just how energetic my little ones are and it was also the same weekend of our big annual family reunion (a post on that later) that I absolutely love and look forward to each year. So after a little bit of thinking....I knew we just couldn't miss this opportunity and I am so glad we did it! I am happy to report that they both actually walked down the aisle together. I was pretty sure they would do this and we practiced quiet a bit....but you never know! I am not so happy to report that Brody was in rare form the night of the wedding. Now I am not saying he is some angel or anything, but he was at his worst that night. I will blame Bryson completely for this (since he doesn't read this blog). The night before the wedding Brody swam for about 8 hours at the family reunion and Bryson let him stay up until 11:30 and then they woke up at 7:00. The next day it was more swimming/jet skiing. Needless to say....he was one super tired kid. He also complained of his tummy hurting which I am sure contributed to some of the crankiness. Thankfully him and Meg both slept on the way home from the reunion and we carried them both in the house and they stayed asleep (can you say miracle???), and then an hour later we put them both back in the car (still asleep) and he slept a little bit longer. Thank goodness for that or who knows what he would've been like. When we first arrived everything went good. We practiced and he was excited. Then he put the tux on and Bryson tried to button the very top button of his shirt and the tears started to flow. Then he put the shoes on and Bryson forgot about the huge blister on his foot that Brody got from wearing boots without socks that were about 6 sizes to small for him all so he could pretend to be Woody from Toy Story. More tears and more refusing to do what we asked him to do. Bryson was mad at this point and sweating and everyone in the bridal party got to witness all of this! I am sure they all thought we had the worst kid ever and that we have no control over him. But, they don't have kids over a year so they will soon learn for themselves....ha! Meanwhile Meg was being a little angel. She was excited to have her tutu on and was enjoying all of the attention. We ended up having a little bit too much time to kill before the wedding started and they got a little bored and antsy. We had decided that Bryson would be in the back with the kids and I would sit down front and wait for them to walk down. The entire time the grandparents were being seated and the bridesmaids were walking down you can just hear Meg screaming in the foyer. But then it was their time to shine and you can in the video....I thought they did pretty good. They then sat through the wedding like angels.

Meg enjoying one of Brody's new Toy Story cars He has some of the cheesiest smiles

Oh how I love this sweet little girl!

I had prepared Brody beforehand that he would have to take a lot of pictures. As you can see he was perfectly happy to take pictures.....as long as I was in them. Oops....I forgot how specific you must be with a four year old. He went crazy when we tried to get him to take group pictures. No amout of bribe/threat would work. It was bad.

On the sidelines watching the group pictures showing how he can "cheese".

Wish they would've done this for the photographer

Brody was ready to get to the reception

Let me just say that Meg has never gotten attention like she got at this wedding. What is about a tutu that makes people go CRAZY? I am not complaining....I love that everyone thought she was the cutest thing ever but if they would've seen her in her regular clothes and no bow I am not sure if they would've paid her any attention (because I have actually witnessed that at the mall before). I guess the outfit really does make the girl??? Brody thought all the attention she was getting was silly!

Whew....I have to get away from all those girls!

The beautiful couple!

Kristen dancing with some of her students

Meg had an outfit change so she could really break it down on the dance floor! She loved the music and the attention and the lights! Brody on the other hand wanted nothing to do with dancing or eating and just wanted me to hold him and to LEAVE! There might have been some screaming and crying and there might have been a small table with three plates of food that got tipped over and Brody might have ended up with food all in his hair. We left around 9:30 and headed home. Brody slept so good that night and took a long nap Sunday and woke up a different child. He kept saying, "I'm in such a good mood". Thank goodness because we couldn't have handled his other behavior another day!. Oh....and Bryson was at the wedding but when I asked if he wanted his picture taken with the kids he said he was so mad with how Brody was acting that he didn't even want a picture. Just didn't want you to think I left him out. Poor guy!

I finally have videos.....