We spent the Fourth of July weekend with my in-laws, where we set off some home firecrackers. It was my children’s first experience with them, and they reacted pretty much as we anticipated they would. Today I dedicate my 7 Quick Takes to Memorable Things Heard While Shooting Off Firecrackers.
___1___
Bathroom! Bathroom! (signed after every single pop, squeal, or hiss. Julianna was very scared of the fireworks. In fact, she lost control of her bladder at the main display. In case you’re wondering, Christian was the lucky one holding her at that time.)
___2___
“It looks like a giant turd!” (You know those “snake” firecrackers that grow a snake out one end? Yeah, those.)
___3___
“More pop pop!” (That was Nicholas. Isn’t that just so cute?)
___4___
“And…the grass is burning.”
___5/6___
My two favorites came in quick succession, and fit under the category “things you DON’T want to hear when shooting off fireworks.”
“Uh-oh, it burned a hole in the pool cover.” (Pause.)
“Why is the pool smoking?”
___7___
All right, so I can’t come up with seven. So I’ll share this little story in anticipation of Monday’s post. Since Alex has been saying he hates being six, we decided to have a talk with him last night. We hoped to make him feel better, and be a little more in tune with the Big Picture. Instead, he came out with something wholly unexpected. “I know God made everybody special, but I don’t feel special!” he said, and dissolved into tears. I held him on my lap until my legs cried out for mercy (have you ever held a 50+ child pound on your lap while he cries?) until he calmed down, but I spent the rest of the night trying to figure out what I could do for him, something out of the ordinary, to make him see how special he really is. And at bedtime I came up with it. On Monday I’m going to write a letter to Alex, and post it on my blog. You may think that’s going too public, but when I told him I wrote about his comment yesterday, he wanted to know if people had left comments. Clearly this is a child after his mother’s heart.
Have a great weekend!
Kathleen M. Basi 
funny comments. Sorry about Julianna being scared! my youngest daughter is scared of them.
Eagerly anticipating Monday’s post. How sweet. And sometimes it is hard for kids to see how they are special in the big picture. What a cutie.
giant turd = priceless. Alex saying he doesn’t feel special really broke my heart. I can’t imagine what it did to yours! Looking forward to reading your letter.
I wrote to my children often. My son told me about a month ago that he found a letter I wrote him long ago and how good it made him feel. He’s 42. I still have letters I received from brothers, friends, employers etc. Writing letters is good! Tell Alex I asked about him. I’ve always thought he was very special.
Me, too, Dottie. Me too.
Loved the fireworks comments. It always fun to hear what kids will come up with when they see something for the first time.