It was almost a repeat of

Cade's first birthday yesterday (where he cried and cried instead of eating his cake).  I had built up in my mind how much Cade would LOVE the fireworks...

**I really need to stop doing this.  Kids are kids.  They definitely have their own attitudes about things and I will never figure them out.

..and he H.A.T.E.D. them.  At our house.

We started off our Fourth by setting our own fireworks off.  I had put Cade and Jackson down for bed at normal bedtime and then woken them up when it was dark enough to celebrate.  We set off the first few fireworks and Cade freaks out. 

He asked to go back to sleep.  I'm not even kidding.  Went into his room, pointed at his bed and said, "Sleep!  Sleep!"

Our community's fireworks show was going to happen in 20 minutes.  Aaron was tired and didn't want to go.  Jackson was sleeping.  Cade was sleeping.  I was the only one who wanted to go.

Good thing Aaron's a nice guy.  We got the kids in the car and headed up to the fairgrounds, telling ourselves that if Cade still hated it and was scared that we would just go home.  On the way up, in the car, Cade could see the fireworks that other people were setting off.  He liked those.

Then we get out of the car.  And he hears the noise that accompanies said fireworks.  And again.  Trembling.  Tears.  No's. 

I held him and told him that the fireworks were just loud and noisy and we started talking about the different colors that there were.  And he started to relax.  By the end of the first song, he was in love. 

"Mommy!! Boom!  Boom!! Fireworks!  Blue! Orange! Pink! Green! Red!"

"GRANDMA!!! Fireworks!" 

When they were all over, he was so sad that there were no more. 

**Jackson was rather indifferent.  He actually tried to go back to sleep on my shoulder.

All day today I have had to hear about the fireworks.  How they went up high in the sky.  Went boom.  Were loud.  Were pretty. 

I'm so happy that he loved them.  My built up dreams were not shattered again.  And it was a really nice memory of holding both of my babies, with Aaron next to me, and listening to "God Bless the U.S.A." 

**I don't think you could have a fireworks display in Moapa Valley without that song being played