I'm just going to pretend I blogged yesterday and get on with it! Today is Rick's birthday, and Grady and I are going to make him a cake later this morning. G changed his mind at the last minute from cupcakes to a "big cake with Thomas on it. That's what Daddy would like. Cupcakes are for MY birthday when I am three." So, big cake it is. And I'm so putting Thomas on it.
One of Rick's favorite Grady stories these days is the time when he was working a ton of hours (terrible crime story plus Betty Ford's death/funeral) and hadn't seen much of Grady for a week or so. He came home while we were playing outside and exclaimed, "Grady! I haven't seen you in so long - I think you grew another foot!" Immediately Grady's head snapped down to look at his feet. "No, Daddy, I just have two!" Love it.
My handsome little guy was also in a wedding two weeks ago. My friend Maribeth's daughter Sarah was the bride and the whole family often babysits him so we were really excited for him to be a part of their big day. His little tux was still a bit big so we pinned and tucked and hoped for the best. He was the ring bearer with Sarah's niece-in-law Aubrey as the flowergirl (such a cutie). From the minute they met at the rehearsal, Grady was smitten and wanted to hold hands all the time. Aubrey not so much. She's a little younger than his 2 and half years and kind of wanted to do her own thing but he hung in there and made her play with him some.
He did a great job at the wedding. A few days beforehand, I wanted him to practice how he'd walk down the aisle but he gave me a dirty look and told me he already knew how to walk. I showed him some videos on YouTube so he'd get the idea of "Walk slow, and smile" and he loved seeing them. Unfortunately I left him to it so I could cook dinner, then came back to see he'd found wedding bloopers. Uh-oh.
At the rehearsal, I decided snacks were my best weapon so I packed a purseful for the wedding to keep him occupied and quiet. We also thought we'd bribe him by giving maid-of-honor Katie a DumDum sucker for him when he came down the aisle to her. Thought it might keep him standing there through the prayer until he could come sit with me.
On the big day, after the guests filled the church, we all came into the vestibule to wait our turns going down the aisle and he got pretty excited seeing all the people. He started hurling his ring pillow down the steps and chasing after it, but at least it kept him occupied. When it was time, he held Aubrey's hand and down the aisle they went. When Aubrey saw her daddy, a groomsman, she ran to him but Grady just took his sweet time, walking slowly, smiling... and blowing a few kisses. He mostly stood where he was supposed to with Kate, then came to me for snacks until he went back up the aisle with Matt. He talked a little in that loud 2 year old high voice when the minister was talking but overall, he was wonderful.
He went stone-cold into sleep on the drive to the reception but popped up ready to party when we got there. He loved running around with the other kids before things got started, then after dinner, I literally couldn't get him off the dance floor. The kids were playing around when the DJ turned on twinkly lights, all those little kids hit the floor, trying to pick up the sparkles - it was sooooo cute! Gypsy, a girl about seven, partnered up with him for dances, but he hit up nearly every woman on the dance floor, especially Sarah and the bridesmaids. He came out with some moves I've never seen before, and just had a ball until I put him in his pajamas for one last dance. Now, he can't wait for his "next wedding." Matt?
