Happy 4th of KaBOOM!

Posted under SNAPSHOTS

I’ve always loved fireworks. I’ll admit that my appreciation for my nation’s freedom came much later. I don’t remember freaking out about the loud explosions but do remember covering my ears early on. I think adults forget or don’t really want to admit that kids’ hearing is a LOT better and much more sensitive.

Each 4th of July I get to see the changing responses of my boys (3, 11, and 13 years old) to a 4th of July fireworks display. Their initial responses were all the same, something like “Daddy, WHAT was THAT!?!” They never actually said it with words, they used terrified faces, clutching hugs and tears. We quickly packed up and strode away as if fleeing from the scene of a crime, of course, feeling bad and stupid that we’d sat too close, at too young an age.

A Little Story

We’d learned our lesson with Cody and Max, so last year we didn’t even consider taking Lucas to a fireworks display yet. But we did see some legal “fireworks” in the street at my parent’s place. Legal with a capital Laaaaaame. They were crappy sparklers that were more smoke than sparkle, and let’s not forget those horribly disappointing Black Snakes; the one’s that transform from a burning black pill into a something that resembles the consequences of a cat eating a bag of some dark colon cleanser. It was something though, and Lucas eating it all up with his big eyes. Precious. But then…

There were was a spinning one that was actually cool! (Okay, it probably sucked too, but whatever you follow something awful with always looks better in comparison.) It zipped around, bouncing on its own multicolored rocket thrusters, and then… it exploded. It surprised us all, but Lucas went a little further than surprise and went straight to screaming terror. He fell over trying to get away and, the second he regained the connection of his feet to the Earth, bolted with his hand clutching his ears. FAIL.

Almost a year later when he came near the same spot, he would mention “fire cookies.” It took us a few times for us to get that he meant firecrackers. Once we finished laughing at the cuteness of what he’d called it, we felt bad again. He was still slightly spooked. Sigh.

Anyways!

The 4th of July is about celebrating America’s Independence, families getting together to celebrate and watch fireworks light up the night. However, we have a lot of visitors from all over the world on our website and aside from that blowing my mind, it also reminds me to mention that the celebration of one’s country and their freedom is something close and personal to everyone, no matter what nation or calendar date.

Happy 4th of July, everyone! Happy Freedom! KaBOOM!

-Andy

Note: Yes, this is picture was Photoshopped. Not by myself, though I tip my hat to whoever its creator is.

“โ€œ

I Like Explosions
It’s true. I accept this.

Explosive Laughter
It’s true. I also like to make people laugh explosively.
 

12 Comments

  • Kez says:

    Fire cookies? ADORABLE.

  • neal says:

    There’s no better time to convince your kids that they are under attack or that the world is ending than at a fireworks show for the 4th of July. It’s like local governments across the nation put billions of dollars down for an elaborate prank in which your kids are convinced they will be blown to pieces.

    I made a comic for it on my blog.

    • Andy says:

      LOL! One of my boys turned to me and whispered, “The perfect muuuuurdeeeeer!”

  • Laurie says:

    Fire cookies!! That is adorable! Sorry he got so freaked though..poor little dude! That picture is the funniest thing I have seen in a while!

  • Betty says:

    My oldest was always afraid of fireworks, she was fine as long as her ears were covered. My youngest (whose hearing is perfect by the way) hated to watch them. She could care less about the kaboom but by hell my hand had better stay over that blanket over her eyes! Funny kids

  • Our almost 2 year old no likey. We went to one of our local beaches where some friends set off approx 10 fireworks- when he saw the first one he smiled and said he liked them. Then it was all downhill once the BANGs started. We left immediately after they finished. The whole way home he was saying “Fire Wooks” “Noise” in a sad simpering voice. It was heartbreaking. Got him to sleep but when he woke up a couple hours later he was FREAKING OUT like he’d had a bad dream, hitting me, yelling, etc. It was AWFUL. Don’t know if I’m paranoid but I think he was mad that I made him stay at the fireworks when he so clearly was telling me he didn’t want to. EPIC FAIL. I am a horrible mother.

    • Andy says:

      I know exactly that guilt. All of the “it’ll be okays” I told myself in some circumstances that turned out to NOT be OKAY were knives I could stab my conscience with over and over for being a selfish dullard.

      You’re not a horrible mother. But I understand why you feel that way. Except for the whole “mother” part, since I’m a dad. ๐Ÿ˜‰

  • Nikki says:

    This is my favorite holiday…wait was my favorite. My 2 year old and her terror changed that this year. The only saving grace was during one of her screaming fits of terror, my husband, at his wits end, said, “It’s only toots! I have really big toots!” She immediately stopped crying and started laughing. Now everytime she hears one she says, “just toots…right?” It’s as if she knows we are lying, but she prefers the lie.

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