But to create memories for our family, some of which we hope will be imprinted on her little brain forever? Priceless.
[*Out of control photo alert* There are an obscene number of pictures in this post. I, for one, can never see enough photographs of my child, but I fully understand that not everybody may feel this way, so proceed at your own risk.]
Butterly World Adventure:
On Friday morning, we met up with Norm's parents and sister's family to visit Butterly World. Yes, you read that correctly. Rated one of the top destinations in South Florida, it was either that or taking a fan boat into the Everglades to play nice with the crocodiles, and my protective mommy instincts just wouldn't allow us to do that.
Lauren was so excited to see her cousins Steve and Sam that she was bouncing off the walls, not to mention the granite fountain in the hotel lobby, where she ceremoniously bashed her knee and had to receive TLC from Uncle Dr. Sal, who gave her a thorough examination.
Then it was off to the main attraction.
The cousins had their best walking shoes on.
I know what you're thinking. How exciting could a place full of butterflies actually be? Surprisingly enough, to young and old alike, it was, in a word, awesome. Hundreds of exotic butterfly species fluttered all around, within inches of our heads.
Just some of the beautiful creatures we spent time with:
And the vibrant floral life within their habitat? Simply stunning.
Butterflies aren't the only attraction. The park also has exhibits on insects and the ability to get up close and personal with parrots and other tropical birds.
Even the grown-ups really got into it.
So if you ever find yourself near Boca Raton or Ft. Lauderdale, check it out. Just be sure to bring your negotiating skills to haggle on the price of admission (advertised price was $25 per adult (!), but Norm's smooth sales skills got us a group discount for far less than that amount). Plus we got a Monarch butterfly pupa we were able to take home with us in a container (thanks Aunt Suzi and Uncle Sal!), and it should be ready to emerge from its cocoon any second now.
Rehearsal Dinner:
Friday evening we went to the rehearsal dinner for Lizzie and Mike. With 140 people attending, it was bigger than many weddings and with all the toasts and plated courses (with printed menus), felt like an additional celebration in and of itself.
The dress attire was "casual chic" and our little fashionista did not fail to deliver, with a new dress.
With a crowd of primarily adults, Lauren was shy at first, sticking close to Mama. But soon enough she warmed up to the several other little girls there (whom we later found out would be the flower girls at the wedding), and they instantaneously became, in her words, her new "bffs." Exuberant merriment consumed the rest of the evening for the girls.
Pool Time:
Saturday morning, after way too little sleep for everybody involved, it was all we could do to drag ourselves to the hotel pool for some lounging.
Our California starlet decided to go a little incognito in order to avoid the inevitable paparazzi she anticipated would be following her every move.
Once there, she enjoyed some splash time with her dad and cousin Sam (note: her blue lips are due to the 70 degree pool temperature - brrr!)
A quick snack to replenish some waning energy.
Then some relaxing with family to rest up for the big night.
The Main Event:
An hour before we were due in the hotel lobby for family photos prior to the wedding, we discovered this:
At first we were thrilled, because it has been over a year since she has taken regular naps and given how late we knew we would be out that evening, we thought a little snooze would be the best thing possible for her.
Well, that's what we thought until we had to wake her up. Note to self: in the future, never, and I mean never, wake your child. Much better to miss the wedding ceremony than to deal with a completely cranky, uncooperative 4-year-old for the hour or two after she's been roused from a deep slumber.
Her expression in this multi-generational family pic taken before heading over to the wedding pretty much says it all.
So how did we deal with it?
Plain and simple. Mama dug a lollipop out of her purse.
And in fairly short order, our happy, spinning sprite returned to us.
[I must point out that Lauren selected her gown so it would match mine - I was sold on a cotton candy pink frilly dress, but she absolutely insisted on the blue.]
During the evening ceremony, which was her first, Lauren intently watched while perched on Daddy's lap.
Immediately afterwards, she joined up with her flower girl friends and the revelry continued.
The reception room was incredible; the flowers, spectacular.
The gorgeous bride and groom during their elegant first dance.
Not to be outdone, Lauren brushed off her dancing shoes, and once the 11-piece band fully kicked into gear, showed the entire room of 225 guests exactly how she shakes her groove thang. To put it mildly, this girl's dance moves are off the chain.
I'm thinking we may need to limit her viewing of Black Eyed Peas and Katy Perry You Tube videos.
Having worked up a serious appetite (it was after 10 p.m. by this point), we sat down to a serious, sophisticated meal.
Then spent some last few treasured moments with family, before having to call it a night.
It was wonderful to be with loved ones we don't get to see very often, and Lauren is still talking about how much fun she had during the entire weekend. So, all in all, the lost sleep and exhaustion we are still feeling pale in comparison to the significant deposits made into our memory banks.
1 comment:
Lauren's dress was beautiful!
So was the brides!
You must post a video of Lauren dancing one day - I'd love to see it!
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