Steve and I had reservations about bringing Reed to one of our good friend's weddings in Boston over the 4th of July weekend. How much more relaxing and fun it would be sans the wild child, cost, who would watch him back home, ya know...cons. But the 4th is probably my favorite holiday and I was sad at the thought of not spending it with my boo. Icing on the cake was when the wedding couple asked for Reed to be the ring bearer, I just couldn't refuse passing up the opportunity to let his cuteness walk down the aisle...even if it did mean a different "vacation" for us than previously imagined.
Mere days before leaving, while looking over the upcoming weekend events, I panicked and looked into booking my sister a flight to Boston so she could help us out. Several friends of ours would be there and we wanted to enjoy long nights out as well as daytime wedding events that were scheduled to interfere with his nap. I am not too crazed about a schedule for him, especially in summer months, but with his very important RING BEARER debut (not to mention wanting to not only stay sane but have FUN myself), I wanted to avoid creating a cranky terror if at all possible. But, no such luck, flying Brooke out didn't work out. HOWEVER, bringing Reed along more than did!...
Reed couldn't have been any better and more enjoyable and made our weekend more entertaining and wonderful than had we gone ourselves (and, frankly, though I love him, I would not say this about all trips we've gone on or will go on in our future!). He was sweet and inquisitive on the plane, smiled and chatted with the pilots in the cockpit upon boarding and found the take-off and landing to be "AMAZING"! And that was only the flight there...
In Boston, Reed hammed it up with Steve's friends, got in a solid nap with no protest every day despite the varying times we put him down, and loved every minute of the social scene. I will say that after a too-long bus ride from our hotel to the wedding site (2hrs.), he did throw a fit as we hurriedly dressed him in his "duds" and made him go potty PRONTO while several well-meaning (too many) people tried to "help" in the panic of crunched time, but really just crowded him. Despite this, he pulled his professional self together! Pillow in hand, he "found Daddy" at the end of the aisle and rocked his role. Though the rocking didn't truly start until the reception where he definitely owned the dance floor for a good part of the night and definitely wanted to be on it ALL of the night! Assuming beforehand that I'd take the early shuttle home with him, I was proven wrong as he wanted to party on with the big boys :). His highlight, I believe, came at the end of the night when the two buses loaded up the guests, one 'party bus' and the other mellow. The bride and groom said a few words, started a few songs, on the mic up front and then Reed asked for his turn. He proceeded to sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" to all the guests, as well as "Happy Birthday" to the bride. Sweet hilarious thing! The 'spirited' guests found the kareoking pretty funny, but so did this sober mom because it indisputably was! So proud of my Rockin' Ring Bearer!
Will soon be posting a slideshow of the weekend highlights, including my great day at the Boston Children's Museum with him, his first baseball game (fun Boston Red Sox night!), and a few from our fireworks flop! Reed's greatness proved itself that night, too, as he waited with us (among a squeezed-together crowd of 200,000+!!!) for four hours before the lakeside firework show began. And I'm not talking picnic-blanket style, more like squished standing sardines in a can! Poor patient thing!
Anyhow...hope your Independence Day weekend also was a blast, happy very belated 4th!
