This was it. The Big Day. It was finally here. Billy and Tillie's Wedding day.

Since I wasn't in the wedding, I was the designated coordinator for The Three Ring Circus. It was my job to make sure that Hubby and Punkin had exactly what they needed to do their jobs and that they were ready. It was also my job to drive our car from here to there, shuttling whomever also needed to be in the same place, and check into the hotel after the ceremony. We all received an itinerary from Tillie the evening before. It was awesome! We all now knew where we had to be, and at what time.

Punkin and Shelley needed to be at Billy and Tillie's house at 11:00am for pictures, and opted to get their wedding finery (frippery?) on there. Punkin suddenly decided she didn't like the pretty white dress she was to wear, and didn't want the bow I'd made for her in her hair. I, of course, put it on her anyway. Have you ever seen a 2-1/2 year old do something they just don't want to do? Then you know the expression that was on Punkin's face. It said "I'm sitting here getting my picture taken, but I'm not happy about it, and I may lay face down on the floor any second." Tillie and I (and probably the photographer) wished it would have been different, but it was not to be, at least not at that second anyway.

Punkin and I went upstairs where there were fewer people and chilled out for a bit. Then, we sat at the top of the stairs watching the bridesmaids file in and out of the livingroom where they were getting their pictures taken. Shelley joined us for a bit, and suddenly Punkin wanted to get her picture taken. Shelley hustled her downstairs while I waited around the corner (anyone with a toddler also understands that they will do things for other people that you can't get them to do when Mom is around). The pictures were taken and Punkin talked about how she wanted to go outside (with the rest of the bridal party) to get her picture taken there, too. When the time came however, I stood nearby while she steadfastly refused to have any part of the whole picture taking event, and buried her face in my skirt. They took a picture of me standing there, trying to pull Punkin off me while hanging onto my skirt so that it didn't come off with her. A Kodak moment, to be sure.

The pretty white dress came off Punkin and a more comfortable one went on before the drive to the church. Shelley and the two of us had to be there by 12:00 Noon for a family photo, that never happened (at that time) for whatever reason. It was back to looking at 'the water' for Punkin and milling about the church until the Bride and the rest of the bridal party arrived and headed downstairs to get dressed and finish primping before 2:00pm.

I had thought to bring some pretzels, but Shelley's friend Becky was awesome and went to McDonald's for Punkin. I think Punkin was the only one who ate lunch. (I realized this as the greasy smell of french fries drifted into my nostrils and tempted my tummy somethin' fierce. Alas, I would have to wait. Punkin wouldn't share.)

The time came for me to take my seat in the church and anxiously await the start of the ceremony and obviously 'the great walk'. I was nervous. Shelley was there with Punkin, as was Tillie and Millie, but I worried about how Punkin was doing. (I'm a worrier, have I mentioned that?) I sat in the pew and fussed with the "bag o'tricks" that I brought to keep Punkin entertained, I fussed with my skirt, I wrung my hands, and I read the entire program which Tillie had put together and printed herself.

The music began, the Mothers were seated, the bridesmaids all met their groomsmen. There was Hubby looking resplendent in his tuxedo. Everyone looked lovely. Shelley's hair was artfully and beautifully styled and I wished again (for just a moment) that I had long, long hair. Shelley caught my eye and mouthed that she thought Punkin would make the walk and I responded with a "I'll believe it when I see it" look.

I look up and see Punkin. Her dress was a "mini bride's dress" with a hoop and layers of lace over it, her bow was red and white, her flower basket was adorable and adorned with a gold ribbon. She held it perfectly with both hands, smiled delightedly, and took slow, professional, measured steps right to Daddy. SHE DID IT! Do I need to say that my eyes filled with tears of relief and pride and joy at that sight? Do I need to say that they still do when I think about it? Hubby and I were probably the proudest parents there. (If you don't take the parents of the bride and groom into account, that is.)

I scooted up front and ushered her to our pew, telling her how proud we are of her. She became a little fidgety a few minutes later, and my bag o'tricks wasn't doing it's job. She wiggled around until she was sitting on the floor just under the pew. I guess I should have left her there, but I softly pleaded with her to get up. She looked up at me and knocked her head on the pew seat. My eyes probably grew big, I know hers did and I knew she was going to start crying. I scooped her up as quickly as I could in order to hustle her out of the church. In the process, she lost her shoe. I knew it had fallen by the pew, but I didn't have time to go after either. The bag o'tricks stayed where it was, too. This was an ultra formal occasion and I didn't want anyone to think that Punkin's crying had 'ruined' it. I jogged from the main hall with a crying toddler in my arms. The same flower girl that charmed everyone just a few short minutes ago was now wailing at the top of her lungs "MY SHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOE!" There was no looking back. Out the door and down the stairs we flew. When I thought we were far enough away for her cries to not disturb the assemblage, we sat on a stair and I rocked her. She was snuffling for her lost shoe, and I suddenly realized I had a bargaining tool. "Honey," I said ever so sweetly, "We can't go up and get your shoe until you stop crying." Punkin blinked a couple of times, snuffled a few more, and slowly began to calm down. I saw then that she had banged her ear on the pew and a red mark had appeared. My heart went out to her. She had no idea what was going on that day, and she was over tired and past due for a nap.

I finally talked her into going back upstairs "for her shoe" mainly, but she knew that we had to stay in the church, and we had to be quiet. We sneaked (snuck?) back in as quietly as possible, I replaced her shoe and she sat next to me for a few minutes before she crawled onto my lap. She began to do that head bob thing where you know you're falling asleep, but when your head drops you wake up as the violins played. Within minutes she was fast asleep. The rest of the ceremony went off without a hitch. It was lovely, too. I'm glad I was able to stay for most of it, I really only missed about 10 minutes.

She woke up as we were filing out of the main hall and I took her downstairs to change her into a more comfortable dress once again. We arrived outside before all the balloons were set free, stayed for a few minutes, then skipped the receiving line and piled into the car to head to the hotel where the reception was. I had hoped to get there with enough time for the both of us to take a nap and get settled in before the reception. That wasn't meant to be.

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