Wedding Weekend

Little Man attended his first wedding this weekend.

I got to take two, TWO, dates to this shindig!

Perks of being a mommy to a baby boy and a wife to a handsome hubs!

I felt pretty special, and extremely blessed,
on the arm of my two handsome fellas.

My best bud got hitched this weekend.

 

There are six of us.
We go way back.
All the way to elementary school.

We've been through the drama of junior high,
the heartaches of high school,
personalized CDs and Papa's College Custard,
beach trips and bachelorette parties,

and weddings!

Oh, the weddings!

 

We've been there.
To each of them.

And have the dresses to prove it.
Picture Katherine Heigl in 27 Dresses.
You know, the scene where James Marsden opens her teeming closet
only to discover a newsworthy closet of dresses.
Themed dresses, colored dresses, short dresses, Little Bo Peep dresses.

I would like to sincerely thank you girls for your choice of classy dresses.
You know, ones that don't require a staff or flippers.
 

Mallory, affectionately known as Mal-Mal or Mal-Pal,
married her dream come true yesterday.
She was the most radiant bride.

She's had this amazing glow ever since her sweet fella Chad

popped the question in NYC (he's good y'all, real good!),
 a glow I don't see disappearing any time soon. 

We started here, at Ms. Amy's house.
 

 

She is the most fabulous hostess,
has a china cabinet that would rival any department store,
and can cook.
Boy, can she cook!
I was legitimately terrified I would not fit into my bridesmaids dress
after sampling her decadent spread.

The bride treated her bridesmaids to beautifully monogrammed pashminas
(which were a welcome accessory on this chilly weekend)
and gorgeous pearl earrings.
Thanks Mal Pal!

We then spent the afternoon getting pampered and
preparing our infamous toasts.
These normally run about 8 minutes and are slap full of inside jokes and precious memories.
These are all wildly humorous to us,
which leaves us thoroughly confused when the other guests
stare back with a look of
"wrap it up, wrap it up NOW."
When we perfected our speech,
we got dolled up for the Rehearsal and Rehearsal Dinner.
This was a fabulous night with my favorite girls and their suave sweeties.

We awoke Saturday morning to Wedding Day!

Hair, makeup, and Spanx, oh my!
We smiled for pictures, chatted of weddings past and babies new,
and fell on the concrete steps outside
of the chapel during the photog session.
Okay, the last one was not we, just me.
Not the most graceful moment of my life,
but the battle scar is pretty impressive.

It was a perfect day.

A beautiful celebration of love.

Congratulations, Mallory and Chad!

 

The Clarks with their littlest,

and most handsome guest.

They love some Baker Bell.

 

 

Watch out Chad,

Bake's laying it on thick!

 

 

The most wonderful girls!

 

 

I can't even imagine how many pictures we have together.

Just like this.

 

Sweet mommy and snoozing baby.

Not everybody can hang! 



 

It was a fabulous weekend of fancy dresses,

dapper dates,

dancing the night away with my best girls,

parading my boy around to his adoring fans.

 

It was life loving at its finest.

Welcome to the Club!

Our family has been welcomed with open arms into the most incredible club! We have gained access and been granted VIP status. The only admission requirement was welcoming our most precious little angel into this world, and the benefits are lifelong friends along for this amazing journey.

Parents of other children with Down Syndrome, who are now some of my closest friends, have called, emailed, and visited eager to share resources, words of encouragement, and their miraculous success stories. We've shared ice cream and tears, laughter and prayers, celebrations and truth.

One of my favorite verses a dear friend shared is found in the ninth chapter of John, "As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?' 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned,' said Jesus, 'but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.'" (emphasis added)

Andrea, Meredith, Denise, Deana, and Betsy, you have made the past ten weeks especially joyous! I am forever indebted to you. You have a servant's heart and willing spirit. You are great friends and wonderful mothers. I am so thankful for each of you!

From your newest and proudest members, we are so grateful to have been welcomed with open arms into this fabulous club!

Baby Giggles

Baby giggles are the greatest!

There's no way you can see a baby, especially this sweet baby, smiling and not break out in a ridiculous Cheshire Cat grin.

Try, I dare you!

Just. Can't. Take. It.

Oh my!

How do I do it, you might ask?

 Like any good mother would, of course. I resort to making up silly songs, dancing, and making a complete and utter fool of myself.

And I may or may not have resorted to a little Sir Mix A Lot...hey, it worked for Ross and Rachel!!

All in the sweet, sweet name of baby giggles!