Fireworks

Fireworks have never been my favorite thing in the world, but I never really minded them until today. 

Have you ever tried putting a noise-sensitive baby to sleep while a fireworks show is going on and every other house on the street thinks it's their job to add to it? It's next to impossible. 

Last night was July 3. My 2-year-old woke up 3 times screaming bloody murder because he was terrified of the "booms" that kept happening. Since when is it ok to light fireworks the day before and after the holiday? Tonight we watched the neighbor light off some small scale fireworks in his front yard before putting John to bd. I explained to him that there would be lots of fireworks, but he didn't have to be scared because it was just fireworks. He quietly exclaimed "boom" with a serious look on his face. 

Sam is terrified of thunder. He hides in our room, the centermost room of the house, between the bed and the wall whenever a storm rolls in. For him, fireworks are like a storm on crack. Our room is no longer sufficient protection. He has taken to curling up under the desk in the basement when Eric is sitting there or hiding in Jenna's room when we are upstairs. 

I am currently listening to the baby monitor to see whether or not my next-to-impossible mission has been accomplished. I hear the high-pitch squeal as a prequel to another "boom." Just as expected, she's fussing again. And now it is turning into a full on cry. Mission impossible, here I come again. 

I am incredibly grateful that we live in a free country. These fireworks are certainly a reminder of that. If we lived in a war zone, I would never get to sleep. Thank you to all of those who have lived through sleepless nights of much less innocent explosions in order to bring us the independence and freedom that we celebrate today. 

The only thing I'm not clear on is how blowing off explosions of light is a celebration of our independence. The neighbor, however, is completely on board; he's at it again...