RYDER'S FIRST WEDDING

Saturday, April 23, Ryder was the youngest guest to attend the wedding of a very good friend. He was exactly 4 weeks and 6 days old but he attended all parts of the event: the ceremony, the gathering for drinks in between the ceremony and reception, the reception and the dance. He wore a button up, white linen shirt and he slept through all parts of the event except the dance.

It was a "Mad Men" themed wedding, so everyone was asked to dress 60's style. Ofcorse I was excited to get a new outfit, however it had never crossed my mind how hard it would be to shop with a baby in tow! And ofcorse I waited until the day before the wedding to head to the mall, which happened to be Good Friday..big mistake! Turns out everyone else in the city was at the mall that day too!! I usually carry Ryder in the "Baby Hawk" carrier I have, but because I thought I was going to try on dresses, I had decided to push Ryder in the stroller...big mistake! Pushing a stroller though a crowded mall and even more crowded stores was impossible and frustrating. I decided to just buy a few outfits, take them home, try them on then return the unwanted ones next week, when I had more time. I left the mall with three outfits and two pairs of shoes. When I got home with my little man and my shopping bags, Marty was home. I dropped Ryder in his lap and raced upstairs to try on the outfits. The mall would be closing in an hour and a half as it was a holiday. I wanted to make sure that at least one of the outfits fit before 5pm when the doors to the mall would be closed and I'd have to go to the wedding naked! Ofcorse, nothing fit! I had totally forgotten about the ginormous size of my boobs and the little muffin top I am still sporting, post baby. Gross!! Everything I tried on looked gross! The only thing that was too big, were the shoes! I certainly did not have time to make a bunch of returns, so I quickly fed Ryder, handed him back to Marty and dashed back to the mall! I bought two more dresses, and hurried back home, praying they fit! The one I decided to wear was a little tight across the middle (um...why do I still look pregnant?) and it bunched a little across the butt (um, why is my butt still so big, I didn't have a baby out of there???) but it would have to do! It zipped up the back so nursing would be challenging, but I would make it work.

The day of the wedding, I put a tank top on over my nursing bra, then zipped the dress up over that. I figured I could totally nurse in public this way. Marty could unzip me, I'd pull down the dress but I wouldn't expose anyone cause I'd have a tank top on, then I could put the nursing apron over that and feed my little guy. I wouldn't have to sit in the bathroom and miss all the fun! I tried to put my hair into a bee hivish doo and I stuffed my feet into heels. Ryder rocked his little linen shirt and Marty wore a 60's style hat. When we pulled up to the church I was surprised to see another couple (the librarian from our school and her husband) dressed almost the same as us! She was wearing the SAME dress as me and he husband sported a hat much like Marty's! We were twin couples! Fun!

Ryder slept in his car seat for the whole ceremony, even the bagpiper didn't wake him up!

We went home between the ceremony and the reception to let Scout out and so that I could feed Ryder. We didn't stay home long as all of our friends were meeting for drinks before the reception and we planned to join them. We visited, ate appetizers and enjoyed a few drinks (only water for me,)and then it was time to head to the wedding reception.

Ryder finally woke up once we sat down at the dinner table. Ofcorse he did! I decided to save the bottle of pumped milk, we had brought for later in the evening choosing to nurse him this time. It was an ordeal! Marty had to unzip me, I had to pull the dress down below my breasts, (remember I was wearing a tank top) then I put the nursing cape over me, Marty passed Ryder to me under the cape and I undid the nursing bra. Ryder ate noisily and happily. AFter that the ladies took over! Everyone one of them wanted the chance to hold him, carry him and soothe him. They were not even rattled when he started fussing. They all had their own strategies for dealing with fussy babies and were eager to try them out. I loved it! I loved that they wanted to calm him and bounce him and pat him. It was a nice break for me, but eventually all Ryder wanted was me and that was nice too! :)

The bride loves Ryder and though it was her day, she went out of her way to make Ryder feel so special at HER wedding. She aknowledged him being the youngest guest in the wedding program, she put him in the cross word the guests were invited to do at their tables, she had the DJs play a song just for him and she carried him around in her beautiful dress!!

Before the end of the evening, the DJs played the song I requested. Sugarland's "stuck on you" is the song, Ryder, Scout and I dance around the living room to every day! Scout actually recognizes the intro of the song now. You should see her get all excited about it. I assume Ryder knows it too and when it began to play, I swooped in and snatched him from the arms that were rocking him and whisked him onto the dance floor. His little fussy cries stopped the minuted I started dancing with him and within seconds, Marty had joined us on the dance floor for a family two step!! The perfect ending to Ryder's first wedding!