Lil' Baby Yaya

"These are the headdresses of the queens that have gone before us.  They come from Indian holy ground...the jungles of the ancients...prairies of the Norwegians...and the forests of the mighty Amazons.  The royal crowns of our people."

This is a quote from the Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood during their Ya-Ya induction ceremony.  It was a formal affair...at least to them.  Quite silly to some.  But the friendships of the Ya-Yas run deep.  So it is with our very own YaYas.  If you have been reading our blog for a while, you already know about the YaYas.  If not, click here and here and here and here to get caught up.  My mom and four of her friends have dubbed themselves...YaYas.

After our shower Sunday, the YaYas asked to come over to meet our sweet girl and present Millie Janalee her gift.  We blocked off uninterrupted time for them to come over, because you never know what follows a YaYa gathering.

I certainly had NO idea what would be in store for Millie Janalee and me.  You see, every "Jr. YaYa" has a bachelorette weekend with the YaYas before getting married.  But, this is the first "Baby YaYa" so I had no way to know what was in store!

After all the niceties of meeting the baby and babytalking and opening gifts, the YaYas gave each other knowing glances, and they headed outside after asking me to sit in the center of the room with Millie Janalee.  Hmmm....  What I saw as they re-entered is certainly worthy of a movie in and of itself!

All the YaYas entered wearing their matching black wraps (also known as shower wraps), flapping their arms, and waving the wraps as they marched into the room chanting "Ya-Ya!"  "Ya-Ya!" [insert uncontrollable laughter and YaYa Vic Vic shushing everyone so the baby wouldn't wake]

This "ceremony" continued with chanting and walking around my babe and me.  I don't know what else was going on, because I couldn't see past the tears as I doubled over laughing at the whole ordeal.  I wish the other Junior YaYas could have witnessed the performance.

There was marching, waving of hands, skipping, shushing, laughing, "YaYa"ing, and fist pumping...all in ceremonious fashion.

At some point, the ceremonious entrance came to a stopping point as the YaYas presented Millie Janalee with her "'Lil Baby YaYa" title...complete with a headdress, bib, onesie, and tutu.  I'm not sure if there is a head YaYa, but the decision appears to be unanimous.  Millie Janalee has officially been inducted into the YaYa Sisterhood.

We discussed babies using sign language to ask for things.  We all decided that I would teach Millie Janalee the YaYa sign...which basically consists of motions similar to that of "YMCA".  Ha!

Welcome to this crazy, fun, special, and awesome group of women, Millie Janalee!  Welcome to the Sisterhood!  May you always reign victorious as you line dance with handmade sashes at the Wildhorse Saloon!  Ha!

We are thinking Millie Janalee is sure to ask her teachers if she can bring SuSu's YaYas to show and tell one day!  Ha!  Thank you YaYa TT, YaYa Hope, YaYa Sherra, and YaYa Vic Vic!  We are so blessed to be a part of a "sisterhood' unlike any other!

"We are the flames of the fires, the whirling of the winds.  We are the waters of the rains and the rivers and the oceans.  We are the rocks and stones.  And now by the power invested in me, I declare we are the mighty Ya-Ya priestesses.  Let no man put us under.  Now our blood flows through each other as it's done for all eternity.  Loyal forever.  We raise our voices in the words of Mumbo Gumbo...YA-YA!"

YA-YA!