Wedding festivities with tons of photos (like, tons and tons)

We’ve had a really busy four or five days around here! I think I mentioned earlier that a childhood friend of mine had her wedding on Saturday. I have known her since the first grade. My mom and her mom met through us nearly 22 years ago and they have been best friends ever since. Because my mom is so close to Jan, the bride’s mom, my mom was very involved in the wedding stuff and helped out a ton. And because our families have known each other for so long, I was included in the fun wedding activities. I have really enjoyed myself since Wednesday, when we attended a family BBQ, but have not been feeling the best the past few days. Too much excitement for this old lady! (Actually, I’ve been “gluten poisoned” a few too many times by Mattix’s PB and J sandwiches and as much as I hate to do it, the little guy’s going to have to go gluten free at home because a sick mommy is a useless mommy!)

This post is going to be all over the place because I’ve had the opportunity to watch Mattix’s attachment process accelerate during these past few weeks and it has blown my mind. I want to write it down so I don’t forget. Mattix and I arrived at the BBQ on Wednesday to a room full of people who immediately began oohhing and awwing over him. Jan’s family lives out of state, but they have followed our adoption journey from the day we rec’d Mattix’s referral. Jan forwarded every last one of my update emails and photos (would have just been easier to blog back then, huh?) to her entire family and they followed our travel journal. So needless to say, he has yet another huge fan club that he hadn’t even met.  

So we walked into the room and everyone was all into him. Mattix has been very friendly with strangers for about the past six or eight weeks. His personality is HUGE. It’s so endearing and adorable. However, I’ve mentioned that it had concerned me because I previously felt like he would go to just about anyone, until the day someone offered to take him and he was having none of it. Anyway, it still concerned me a bit because he is honestly the FRIENDLIEST, most interactive, flirtatious kid ever. Well, I’m no longer worried. He was SO not going to even acknowledge anyone. I’m sure part of it was being overwhelmed by the number of strangers. He looked around, wrapped his arms tightly around me, and buried his head in my shoulder. Everyone is so kind and understanding. It was nice – I didn’t even have to give the old “give him some time, we’re working on attachment, blah, blah, blah speech” because they just get it. Nobody got too close; they just stayed back and talked to him. When he was done with the head-in-the-shoulder routine, he gave everyone the stare down that Ed and I rec’d when we met him at the orphanage. The one where he just stares with the most serious look ever and doesn’t show any emotion whatsoever. So I just started talking and socializing and letting him get comfortable. And he did. My mom and dad arrived about thirty minutes after I did, so that helped as well, having two more familiar faces. About an hour into it, after carefully watching me interact, he began smiling, waving, and “talking.” He was ready to get down and crawl around. He also was very interested in the bride’s cousins, who are 12 and 14. After a while, he was more than happy to have them hold him as long as either my mom or I were in close proximity. Ed arrived at some point as well, as his plane actually landed on time (almost impossible to believe). Anyway, nice night and very interesting and wonderful to see Mattix so reserved with strangers. Ed left with Mattix before I did; apparently, Mattix passed out on the way home and stayed asleep while Ed put his jammies on. Too cute. This is the kid that would wake up at the slightest touch and refuse to fall back asleep!

I attended the bridal shower on Thursday at a nice tea room. I need to remember to always be as gracious as our hosts were. At the time I was invited to the shower, we didn’t think Ed would be in town. Because my mom was also attending, I didn’t have anyone with which to leave Mattix, so I thanked them for the invite and explained why I would have to decline. The bride and her entire family insisted I bring Mattix, my adorable but sometimes loud, messy, nearly 14 month old, to the fancy tea room to attend a shower with a group of women. I just thought that was so nice and I’m not sure I would have been so kind and understanding before I myself was a mom.  As it turns out, Ed was home and he and Mattix hung out while I went (I have to admit it was a nice break!), but this was just a little lesson for me.

(the bride and i at the shower}

On Friday, Ed, Mattix and I attended the rehearsal dinner at a fun, popular Mexican restaurant. By then, Mattix was really getting into his new friends and the charm was on. Mattix knows how to make himself quite popular with his spiky hair and nauseatingly adorable antics. It’s almost too much. He sooo knows how to work the crowd. He even fake laughs at the appropriate times. On an unrelated note, Ed and I are officially the “old people with a kid;” we were the first to leave at 8:00! Mattix once again passed out in the car and this time slept in his clothes all night!

(dancing the night away}

 

{mattix and grandma. my mom is going to kill me if she sees this b/c mattix pulled her dress down so low! (his new thing is to hang grab onto the neckline of whatever you’re wearing and hang on for dear life.) but really, i’m doing her a favor b/c in another photo, but for the good ol’ bra, she’d be pulling a janet jackson-style wardrobe malfunction. so give me a break, mom!}

{still having fun!}

{very rare for all three of us to be in a photo. of course, mattix was done smiling.}

{mattix, gettin’ crazy with the milk shooters}

{and…..he’s out}

{i thought ed was going to kill me for taking lots of flash photos while he carried mattix upstairs. but mommy is always right – he didn’t even open his eyes}

{the bride chose the exact same color – lavender – and theme – intertwined hearts – that ed and i had at our wedding. i’m so not girly, but it was super sweet when he tied a ribbon from one of the rehearsal dinner favors on my wrist. he just does the cutest little things here and there that remind me of why i married him – in addition to the smart, sarcastic ass that i love, he’s a sweetheart. we’re such dorks.}

And on Saturday, we all attended the wedding. Originally, my best friend Laura was going to come over to our house and watch Mattix for us. We had planned on this for a long time, but because of Mattix’s recent need to be near me all of the time lately, I didn’t feel like it would be good for him to be away from us, especially at bedtime. (I’m so pleased that Mattix is becoming attached to me to the point that he often doesn’t want Ed or my mom to take him away. Not for selfish reasons at all, tust me. I don’t care which one of us he prefers at ALL. It’s just that I am his primary caregiver, being the stay at home parent, and he’s clearly aware of that. The progress we’ve made as a family is so amazing to me. That post is still coming.) We decided it wasn’t the end of the world for him to have a late night. He must have anticipated the big par-tay…he took a nearly three hour nap on Saturday afternoon.  Also, as much as I thought I’d love to just have some adult time with Ed, I’m really starting to feel differently. Don’t get me wrong – Ed and I LOVE the little adult time we get – but this was a family wedding and it just felt wrong to leave part of the family at home. So Mattix came and OhMyGosh was it fun. First of all, my mom and I went shopping and found Mattix the cutest outfit ever (see photos below) and I couldn’t get enough of his little adult outfit. He just had so much fun that it made my time that much more fun.

He was a champ during the ceremony. He sat on Ed’s lap the entire time and drank his milk. We sat in the very back corner, just in case we needed to leave, but that was very unnecessary because he didn’t make a peep. I’m kind of glad, though, because I took lots of pics of Mattix and Ed and I love them.

{my boys}

{“enough with the pictures”}

{listen, mom, if you take one more effing picture, i’m going to put this bottle of milk down…}

Before the reception, we hung out in the cocktail area and let him crawl around and burn off energy.  Then we went in and put him in his high chair. He was ready to party! He waved at everyone he recognized, flirted with other guests at our table, and as soon as the music started, he began dancing in his high chair like crazy. As they introduced the bride and groom, Mattix joined in the applause, clapping super loud and smiling up a storm. Then he waved at them as they walked by our table. He was so into it! He was great through dinner, although I swear, this kid is developing the most adult palate. He wanted nothing to do with his children’s chicken fingers and fries dinner and would only eat off of my mom’s, Ed’s, and my plate of very adult food that I wouldn’t think a kid would like at all. I will admit to allowing him to eat both my and Ed’s favor cookie. While my mom occasionally spoils Mattix with sweets, I generally do not. However, it helped him sit still for a bit longer. I did catch my mom feeding him wedding cake later in the evening, but at that point, the day’s eating was all blown to hell so who cares, right?!

{that was a damn good cookie!}

{doesn’t he just look so grown up here?!}

{apparently, mattix either planned to hit the bar or a strip club with the cash in his pocket}

{far too busy to even acknowledge the camera}

{while ed was a big enough dork to serenade the bride with a fake mic, mattix was far too cool to participate in that BS. instead, he did more milk shooters.}

{“get your hand off my tie, bi-atch.” my mom was holding him here and another guest was admiring his tie. seriously, when i say he has an aversion to being touched by people he doesn’t know well, i mean it. check out that look!}

{totally random photo, but this made me laugh. mattix is very deliberate about some of the things he does. he picked up this piece of lettuce off of my plate and set it on my purse. then he rearranged it three or four times until it was just right. then he just left it there. apparently my purse was boring and needed a little extra somethin’}

{mattix has been very affectionate with us for a while now, but in the past four weeks or so, he has become so unbelievably affectionate towards me that it fills my heart. during dinner, i was rubbing his back and he laid on my arm, looked into my eyes and began rubbing and patting my face. he gave me the sweetest looks and he kept it up for a few minutes. i didn’t even know my mom had taken these photos b/c i was so wrapped up in it until i saw them the following day. note: ignore the double chin, please. much like my ass, my chin has developed a twin. and even if they made chin span*x, given my last experience, i wouldn’t try them.}

{i am married to the world’s biggest nerd, who, in this photo, is playing the role of the police officer while dancing to YMCA. i may or may not have screamed wildly and pointed to him while the dj was requesting volunteers.}

We danced all night and Mattix flirted shamelessly. He still wasn’t into having strangers hold him, but he was very friendly. He loves to dance and clap. I LOVE this kid…he’s just so much fun. I’m enjoying him more and more every day. I love seeing his personality develop. And man, he has a personality! More about that in this upcoming post I keep talking about (warning: it’s going to be a long one!).

{and just like that, mattix was done. he fell asleep in my mom’s arms while they were dancing. too cute. For supposedly not drinking anything besides milk and water, he was the one who slept in his clothes all night. I’m just saying…}

 

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend as much as we enjoyed ours. I’m behind on blogs b/c I’ve been a little under the weather, but i promise to catch up soon.