Ryan and Charley's Adventures: Here Comes the Bride

It is Monday morning after Ashley and Aaron's fun wedding weekend. I'm forcing myself to blog a little even though the house is in disarray because it's on my mind now. I think I'll do it in list format because maybe I won't ramble as much. (*Update: it's Thursday, June 24 when I am finalizing this post...10 days after I started...it has taken me this long).

1. Morgan went with us and was a trooper being cooped up in the hotel with two little girls 3 and under with no bathtub or restaurant. She did great with them! Jennifer Flagel came Saturday night and kept Charley at the hotel after pictures were taken before the wedding.

2. Ryan did great getting her hair done with Nickey. She teased it, curled it with a curling iron, and had an adorable, tousled up-do with a very cute flower that I just bought moments before (when I was already supposed to be in the Bridal Suite at A-Loft.) Somehow it was 3:15 on the day of the wedding and I didn't have bows or anything for R & C's hair. I was supposed to pick up Ash from her hair appointment (which I wasn't told until that afternoon) and still had to find something for their hair. Pretty typical for me. I drove like a maniac to Bella Jack's and ran in saying I was panicked and needed bows for two girls for a wedding immediately. The lady was very helpful and I was on the road in a second. I'm not sure what I would have done had they not had those flowers.

3. Before the wedding Ryan was overwhelmed with all of the people and we stayed in the bathroom about 20 minutes playing "washing our hands", ball (with the ball Ash gave her), practicing flower girl walking, going pee pee and then later poo poo, and turning the light off. I was sad that I was missing out on the time with Ash in the Bride's Room but knew if Ryan was overwhelmed we'd have a problem on our hands. Every time I asked if she wanted to go back out she would say no because "it's so quiet in here."

4. We had no idea how Ryan would do as a flower girl and she did better than we expected. She felt so big getting to be with the big girls and stand up at the front by Aunt Ashley and Uncle Aaron. When we asked what her favorite part of the whole weekend was she said it was being a flower girl. She loves the bracelet Aunt Ashley gave her and she wore it the whole night she got it and the night of the wedding (this says alot because she has another bracelet that she always asks to put on but then she wants it taken off immediately). Lots of people complimented me on what a good job Ryan did. Bob Carter said that when she was watching A & A that her profile looked just like me. Poor thing. Maybe we should go ahead and schedule some therapy for that.

5. We had been so excited for the reception because Ryan loves to dance but she was too overwhelmed. Pat took her to the dance floor and she looked around and immediately was finished with that. She was pretty tired at the reception but wanted to stay. She watched her cousins dancing and was laughing but didn't want to get out of Pat's lap. She loved the groom's cake, though.

6. I called Nana after we arrived because Ryan was acting how she said I always acted in hotels. She thought it was the greatest thing. She was all over the beds and said "look Charley there are two beds!!!!!" She had the notepad and pen and was making lists. Every time we got on the elevator Charley would say "Nana" because that is the only place she has ridden an elevator.

7. Our hotel was like a rock star hotel room. Milk and goldfish spilled in the bed. Purple marker on the white duvet cover. Goldfish crumbs ground into the carpet. It was strewn with clothes, shoes, toys, towels. We had a long cylinder-shaped pillow and Ryan layed on it and asked me to "nail me to the cross." Ha Ha! Charley had her first shower and didn't love it but didn't hate it either-she showered with Pat. Ryan showered with me about two years ago and did again this time. She liked it OK but said she would only shower at hotels not at home.

8. I asked Ryan about who she would marry and she said "Mommy." Then she said, "but you are a girl." Then she got excited and said "I could marry Daddy!"

9. Pat cried as Ryan walked down the aisle. I was more focused on making sure she walked down the aisle so didn't appreciate how cute she was in the moment. I was just relieved she was doing her job. Leanne Holmes (and someone else I don't remember) said that during the solo Pat was leaned over watching Ryan and that it was so sweet. At some point at the church I got tearful thinking that one day Ryan will be the one walking down the aisle with Pat. I'm sure my parents feel like it was yesterday that Ashley was a flower girl in Amy Fenton's wedding (see below).

10. Below is my favorite picture of Charley at the picture session......that just about sums up her personality and will make a re-appearance at her own rehearsal dinner in 40-45 years when we let her consider marriage.