A cool day in July
It was an unseasonable July 4th around here – it stayed in the 80s! – and a heavy afternoon downpour rained out our local picnicking, turtle races and horseshoe tournament. But the sun came out in time to dry the ground enough for blanket-seating, and the hometown fireworks display was impressive.
My family punctuates the most celebratory times – graduations, weddings, the New Year – with bottle rockets and Roman candles, regardless of the season — we’re a fireworks-loving bunch. We had placed bets on Jack’s reaction, with my mom (she “couldn’t wait” to see his face at first sight of the fireworks) and husband betting that he’d like it. She was losing her confidence before it even started, worrying that hers might be a “You’ll love it! It’ll be fun!” moment akin to the one that led her to put my scaredy-cat sister and I on the carousel twenty-something years ago.
Not quite: Like many other babies in attendance on Saturday, he was a fan of the lights but not of the booms, and he hung in there. The screechingest varieties made him hide his face, but he watched the rest tear-free. We kept our faces carefully, deliberately happy, amazed and close to his, and it was a happy fourth.
I’m glad y’all had such a great time! It looks like you are going to raise a firework-loving little man!
I didn’t even attempt to take Nicolo this year, Michael tooke Francesco who will be 3 soon and he was good until they got closer together and louder. He came home and told me he got scared (which he demonstrates by wrapping his arms around himself and shaking) Daddy brought him home. Maybe next year.