First Things Last
I wasn't trying to be coy, really. I just felt like I had a bit of catching up to do before I sat down and wrote The Story of My Engagement (Take II). Besides, as Simon said to me at a party back in December of 2003, shortly after My Engagement, Take I, no one wants to hear your engagement story when it still takes you half an hour to tell it; if memory serves, I believe he said, "Come find me when you're down to the three-minute version." Who knew he'd end up being the one for me in the long run?
Now that it's been almost two weeks since it happened, though, let's see if I can write out the three-paragraph version:
1. 'Twas Christmas night and we were watching Spider-Man 3 because it was free and we were running out of options. (We watched fourteen movies over the three days we spent alone between visiting families.) Spider-Man 3 is not a very good movie, and we're reluctant to remember it as The Movie We Got Engaged To, although there's no getting around that, I suppose. Likewise, I'm reluctant to remember Nancy Drew as The Movie I Went Into Labor To, although it certainly could have been worse; I could hardly enjoy American Pimp the week before because I was too preoccupied with thoughts that it would become The Movie I Went Into Labor To, and how embarrassing would that be?
2. So, Spider-Man 3. Peter Parker is going to (spoiler!) ask MJ to marry him, so he takes her to a fancy restaurant and tells the maitre'd to put the ring in a glass of champagne. I say, "Oooh! We should have champagne!" Simon agrees and goes to the basement to retrieve a bottle of our favorite, Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Noir (pink! $5.99!). Instead of the usual shallow champagne glasses, he gets out the flutes--"Fancy glasses for a special occasion, it being Christmas and all." He toasts to being in love and I toast something equally romantic, like "To the baby!" or "To champagne!" and then we take a sip and then he waits. And waits and waits and waits while I take half an hour to nurse (oh, that word again!) my drink.
3. Finally, when there are only about two swallows left in the glass, I hear the ring clink in the bottom. I hold the glass up in the t.v. light and see what it is. "You're kidding me!" I say. "Nope," he says. "You're kidding me!" I say. "Nope!" I make him drink the rest of the champagne so I can fish out the prize. He says, "So, hey, wanna get married?" I say, "Of course I do!" and then "To you, I assume?" I needed to be sure. "Yes." Phew. He tells me he would get down on his knee but there's a currently a baby resting on it. I reassure him that that's the best possible reason to not get on his knee.
Fin.
As of this moment, we have no date, no real plans, and no desire to turn this into a Thing. We're finally getting married, which is AWESOME, but now more than ever I'm glad I'm not a big-budget, poofy-dress, look-at-me kind of girl because, easy baby or no, I have neither the time nor the energy (or the budget) to plan a wedding much beyond picking a date on the calendar and then trying to remember to show up showered and in a clean outfit. This was also generally true before we tossed a baby into the mix but, as I predicted many months ago, getting married, or at least having a wedding, is not such a big deal if you've recently given birth to a brand new human being. What are flowers and favors and overpriced cake to me when my most consuming pasttime is deciphering the color of my son's eyes? Besides, it's not like getting an engagement ring or a marriage certificate means I finally know Simon is committed to me; a house and a baby and daily affirmations of his undying love will do that just as well.
Lest I continue on this tack and make the engagement sound like a total non-event, however, I should make it clear that I'm totally over the moon about it and, even with the baby and the holidays and the visitors and the general craziness of our new normal, I still spend as much time mooning over my fiance and deciphering all the colors of the rainbow in the sparkle of my ring as does any girl who goes about this the standard way, in the standard order. The one thing that's different is that I'm obsessed with getting a picture of Wombat holding the ring, which has so far proved surprisingly difficult considering he's lost in a dead sleep for twenty hours a day. Maybe I can get a good shot later this evening.
First things last, though: It's almost 2 p.m. and I've been trying to get into the shower for the past three hours. My fiance is coming home soon and we have a stroller date. Heaven forbid my sour-milk stench drive him away before we officially tie the knot, nevermind the fact that he's already seen me from my very worst angle (who needs stirrups when you can pull your own ankles to your forehead?) and still asked me to be his wife.
this question is for simon - how did you know she wasn't going to accidentally swallow it?. . . did you try it out yourself once beforehand?. . .
oh, and fyi, since i'm sort of a pseudo graphic designer, i've helped several friends and relatives with their weddings and two things i've seen them do that seemed to work well were:
1. get married at the justice of the peace and just have the reception. . . it keeps the stress levels and complications way down. . .
2. rather than set the date a year in advance, only set it a couple of months in advance (if that). . . when you do it a year in advance it just makes the process a long, drawn out affair in which everything gets done in the final two months anyway. . .
but, of course, those were just my observations and ymmv. . .
Wow! You've had quite a few months!
Congratulations, you crazy kids. We are the happiest newlyweds ever and I know you will give us a run for the money.
aw. congrats, you guys.
Cute, Leah! So had he planned the champagne-in-the-glass thing before Spider-Man, was he the one who picked Spider-Man in the first place, or did he just have the ring in his pocket, see Peter Parker do his thang, then think, "hmmm that seems like a grand plan!"??
ooh love a good engagement story...congrats you guys! I'm so excited for you! :) The DVD we watched the night we got engaged was `The Sweetest Thing' which was not the romantic kind've movie you'd imagine would set the stage for an engagement...but being at the beach where it rained non stop for days you'd be surprised what DVD titles start to look appealing :)
(apologies to anyone who loves this movie!!)
The night I got engaged, we ate dinner at Fat Burger. My mom always leaves that part out when she tells the story. It's my favourite part of the story.
Yay! Congrats again! I completely understand the importance of showering but please may we have a picture of the ring??? Or do you want Wombat to introduce it for the first time?
i love this story.
p.s. let me know if you need a photographer when the day comes. ;)
I think you should get married by Elvis. Um, not that you asked, but I figured I'd get the request in early.
Congratulations!
Congrats you two (three!).
YAHHHH! I'm so excited. I also thirdle the request for a photo of the ring. I mean, cmon, don't pretend the internet isn't just a giant crush of screaming girls. We all know we are.
Congratulations! I nearly knocked my fiance (engaged for a little over 3 months and still not used to that word) off a cliff after he proposed and likely would've swallowed/choked on the ring if it was in champagne so props on your grace (and that whole ankle/forehead thing!).
Aww!! Congrats! When do we get to see pictures of the ring?? I know that your wedding day--whenever and however you decide to go about it--is going to be so unique and special, poofy dress or not!
Sigh. You two are so perfect for each other it's stupid.
If you dare try to elope I am totally hopping on a plane and crashing the party :)
Hi! I came over from Cat's page.. Congratulations on your engagement!!
Oh my goodness, I'm away from the internet a few days and look what I miss! What an awesomely sweet story. Massive congratulations to you both. You have certainly got a keeper in him, Leah =)
Congratulations!! Fabulous news indeed. Sounds like everything is coming up roses on your side of the street. Well Done. :)
Congrats! And i too want to see the ring. Such a girl am I!
I highly recommend a destination wedding! Of course you live in CA, so who needs a destination when you live someplace like that!
I do love the story. LOVE.
Congratulations and very well-told, as are most stories told by you...
What can be said that isn't said already? Anyways - congratulations to the two of you. Marriage is lovely and all that but nothing beats two pink lines (and in five months time the tiny thing making an entrance). So happy for you...
Such a sweet story, and seemingly perfect for the two of you :)
aw, aw and awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
i went into labor watching RAging Bull. for some reason the husband thinks this is GREAT. :)
congrats again. so exciting!
Oh, how fun! I love engagement stories.
I had the same questions as Camels & Chocolate re: the logistics -- did Simon pick the movie on purpose; did he go grab the ring out of a drawer while he was getting the champagne; how long had he been planning this?
Evidently, I am never satisfied.
Oh how lovely! Thanks for sharing it, it's a great, great story. Forgive my childish-ness but um, SHOW US THE RING! Also, congratulations :)
Congrats! I love your three-paragraph version!
hooray! congrats. sounds like a fabulous year/month indeed!
Oh, nuh uh! You have had QUITE the month!
This is my new favorite engagement story. It rocks. =)
Congratulations on being engaged! Squeee! :)
My husband and I were already planning on getting married within the year when he officially proposed to me...and I was over the moon, too! (And watching my ring catch the light a lot, as well ;)
Yay! Congrats! Pictures?? I love sparkly rings.
Congrats! As far as commemorating the moments with movies-I watched Super High Me (not nearly as funny as you would have thought) the night before I gave birth to my Squidge, so that's the movie I "went into labor to." I am a great parental influence.
So did Simon plan that whole thing to correspond with the movie or did he see it in the movie and decide to go with it on the spur of the moment?
I'm really happy for you, as I know you wanted this -- and, frankly, that's great, for I did, too, before I got married. I hope you let yourself get excited on top of everything else. I mean, I know you said you were, but even if the wedding itself isn't a Thing, marriage, baby or no, is a Very Big Thing, and it's Very Exciting and you should be VERY VERY EXCITED and let yourself get that way because it IS a big deal! It IS!
I, too, have a slightly less than stellar movie that I watched the night of my engagement--Napoleon Dynamite! Yep, that really set the tone for love, let me tell you. My now husband had worked 8 hours, driven 3 more, showed up at my dad's while my sister and I were about to start the movie, so he vegged out with a ring burning in his pocket, wondering, "When will this be over?" Ha! I think it adds to the story. Congratulations to you and Simon
That's a great story -- congrats to you both, and on both counts!
Hurrah!
From your descriptions of Simon's sense of humor, I am guessing he just couldn't resist putting the ring in the champagne after you asked for it. It was FATE, I tell you.
Hurrah!
From your descriptions of Simon's sense of humor, I am guessing he just couldn't resist putting the ring in the champagne after you asked for it. It was FATE, I tell you.
Hurrah!
From your descriptions of Simon's sense of humor, I am guessing he just couldn't resist putting the ring in the champagne after you asked for it. It was FATE, I tell you.
Hurrah!
From your descriptions of Simon's sense of humor, I am guessing he just couldn't resist putting the ring in the champagne after you asked for it. It was FATE, I tell you.
Hurrah!
From your descriptions of Simon's sense of humor, I am guessing he just couldn't resist putting the ring in the champagne after you asked for it. It was FATE, I tell you.
Hurrah!
From your descriptions of Simon's sense of humor, I am guessing he just couldn't resist putting the ring in the champagne after you asked for it. It was FATE, I tell you.
Oh, dear. My laptop had a hiccup. I'm sorry about all the extra comments.
Oh, dear. My laptop had a hiccup. I'm sorry about all the extra comments.
You're right - Spiderman 3 is a TERRIBLE movie.
Congratulations anyway.
Congratulations! I went into labor with my daughter while watching Flight of the Conchords. 'Tis very difficult to manage contractions while giggling hysterically. (Yes, we did not stop the episode. It was the 2nd baby and besides, we were waiting for my dad and step-mom to show up so they could watch our toddler while we ran to the hospital)
Congrats to you both!