June 26th, The Ring Bear, GRrrrrr!

So, we've been preparing Sam for six months to this important job. We even happened to watch an episode of Caillou, where he was the ring barer! But then for months, Sam thought he would wear an "abricadabra hat"...Caillou had worn a top hat, Mumford the Magician wears a top hat, therefore... Anyway, Sam told Adam's sister that he was going to wear a costume and growl! "Yes, I'm the ring bear," he affirmed. So, we've been trying to correct that idea :) In the end, I gave him the chance for one good growl when we first got to the church...yup, there's a video for it at the end of the post.

Sam was a little hesitant to get dressed, so he and Grampy got dressed together. Here's Adam's parent's finishing Sam's outfit...Sam kept saying, "we're sharp boys." Once he had his tie on, he ran out of the room and said, "we have sharp necks!"




Sam and the Dyker's met the couple for family photos before the wedding at the bride's parents' house. Sam hit it off with flowergirl and were pretty cute together. I didn't get any of the really cute photos because I was behind the photographer with Sam's special stuffie trying to get her a good photo of the two kids together...






We squeezed in a photo of our family before the ceremony started...




Since we arrived a little early and neither kid has the faintest idea what they were doing (the flower girl had the chance to go to Grand Lake for the night of the rehersal...who could pass that up?)(and Sam fell asleep on the way to the church and I saw no point in waking him without the flower girl there), I got them to practice...let's call this a 'pre-inactment' (get it, instead of a reinactment)...






So, they made it up the aisle! They went slowly and took a curved kind of route and walked right past their grandparents (the target) right up to the priest! I'd set Sam's new Cars toys up on the seat with Grampy and Nannie, but as soon as the he started to play and the first car bumped into another, I felt about 40 disapproving eyes on me. So, I went up to the front seat (I'd settled back 3 rows with Adam's sister and boyfriend), packed up his toys and carried him out of the santuary. Poor Sam, asking "why are we leaving?" He was good as could be, hadn't said a word, but whatever. It was an "adults only" event, so the whole 'be seen not heard thing...' fun with a toddler just trying to please everyone. So we left and I set him just outside the santuary in the foyer on a run of carpet. And he's okay with that. Then he starts to play and two cars bump and seriously the whole back row turned and shot me dirty looks...I mean, come on! Anyway, during the ceremony I pointed out the important parts so that Sam could learn what a wedding is about and not think it's just a party and photos. When the couple kissed and everyone clapped, Sam stood up and clapped and shouted a HUGE "HURRAY!" When people started walking back down the aisle, Sam bolted for the open church door, and settled down just outside that door...break my heart, he was trying to play by the 'rules'! I had to move him out the of way because I knew he was blocking the exit and as people started filtering out, Sam totally shut down. The first couple were friends of the couple and all we heard was cursing about how hot it was in there and blah blah...it was an 18 minute ceremony for pete's sake! Anyway, as his family came out, people who Sam loved last Sunday at the great grandparents' house, he just didn't want anything to do with them. I guess I should have just taken him back to Adam's parents' house after his role was done...





Sam was good as gold during the reception, considering that it was 'adults only' and we were 'lucky' that we could bring Sam since he was part of the wedding party. After the first 15 mins when 3 different people almost plowed into him/jam him in the door, it was obvious that I had to shadow him. Throw in the open doors to the 'member's only' section, to the kitchen, to a wide stair case and to the outdoor patio with another stair case and I didn't sit much. They put us at a table up front and on the opposite side of the room as Adam, so Sam ended up running between us (in front or behind) the head table thru supper. He also constantly bolted thru the tables for the above escape areas...and then he discovered the candy buffet and the fact that he could reach a couple items.

Sam watched the first couple of dances and was itching to join in. In fact I had to chase him off the dance floor during the first dance...lovely. When they called for the wedding party, Sam went and pulled the flower girl onto the floor, took her by her elbows and started turning in slow circles. Of course, I had to run and get my camera! By the time I got back, they were just holding hands but they twirled the whole song...and the next one!





Here's some videos. Sorry the dance on is so dark, it was really dark on the dance floor, so nothing I could do.