Fourth of July Celebrations
The Fourth of July has been a hard holiday in the past. Any sensory defensive child would have issues with the loud, bright fireworks and the sirens, marching bands, and crowds of people at the parades. This year was a little different...in the years past, we have really struggled...here's the excerpt from last year....
"Festivities started on the 3rd at a friend's house for a cookout, bounce house, water slide, and a LARGE group of people. I had to work till about 6, so we were late getting there. Peter was still at work, so I decided to brave it on my own. I thought we would make it until 7:30, when everyone had planned on heading to the fireworks. WRONG! We headed to the backyard when we arrived, so the kids could bounce and jump for a bit. The water slide was still set up, so a few minutes after the kids had started jumping, a little boy ran from the water slide to the bounce house, and accidentally bumped Hunter and he fell in a water puddle. As we have experienced before, Hunter does not like to have wet clothes....so the perfect solution was to just take his shorts off in front of the 30 people in the backyard. He would not put his shorts back on, so we walked, hand-in-hand, Peyton on my hip, to the car (with Hunter in his undies). I was praying I had an extra set of shorts in there, but no luck. I called Peter to meet us with a pair of shorts, but just as I hung up the phone, Paige had come to the car with a large red snow cone and proceeded to spill it down my entire front. At that point, I decided to wrap it up. Game over. :)
I brought the kids home and we had planned on taking them all back to the park for the fireworks- however, Hunter had so much anxiety about the noise that we told him he didn't have to go, and I would stay home with him and watch from Paige's window. We had his headphones ready for him and packed a distracting snack, but he went to his room to play McQueen when Paige and Peter started to get ready to leave. At the last moment, he came running down the stairs, crying, and said, "I want to go! I want to see the fireworks!"
Daddy put a smaller set of headphones into his phone and turned on music for him, and off they went. Peter said he started to grind his teeth and put his hands to his ears when they started, but then calmed and actually enjoyed watching the fireworks.
Late to bed, early to rise....and off to the parade! The lack of sleep, the large amount of people on the streets, and the noise all contributed to the lovely behavior we experienced at the parade. He didn't want to sit, and then he didn't have a chair, and then it was too loud, and then he was too thirsty, and then he didn't want a flag, and then he didn't have a bucket to collect the candy the people were throwing...the list goes on and on. However, he did semi-smile for one family picture and a couple sibling pictures.
"Festivities started on the 3rd at a friend's house for a cookout, bounce house, water slide, and a LARGE group of people. I had to work till about 6, so we were late getting there. Peter was still at work, so I decided to brave it on my own. I thought we would make it until 7:30, when everyone had planned on heading to the fireworks. WRONG! We headed to the backyard when we arrived, so the kids could bounce and jump for a bit. The water slide was still set up, so a few minutes after the kids had started jumping, a little boy ran from the water slide to the bounce house, and accidentally bumped Hunter and he fell in a water puddle. As we have experienced before, Hunter does not like to have wet clothes....so the perfect solution was to just take his shorts off in front of the 30 people in the backyard. He would not put his shorts back on, so we walked, hand-in-hand, Peyton on my hip, to the car (with Hunter in his undies). I was praying I had an extra set of shorts in there, but no luck. I called Peter to meet us with a pair of shorts, but just as I hung up the phone, Paige had come to the car with a large red snow cone and proceeded to spill it down my entire front. At that point, I decided to wrap it up. Game over. :)
I brought the kids home and we had planned on taking them all back to the park for the fireworks- however, Hunter had so much anxiety about the noise that we told him he didn't have to go, and I would stay home with him and watch from Paige's window. We had his headphones ready for him and packed a distracting snack, but he went to his room to play McQueen when Paige and Peter started to get ready to leave. At the last moment, he came running down the stairs, crying, and said, "I want to go! I want to see the fireworks!"
Daddy put a smaller set of headphones into his phone and turned on music for him, and off they went. Peter said he started to grind his teeth and put his hands to his ears when they started, but then calmed and actually enjoyed watching the fireworks.
Late to bed, early to rise....and off to the parade! The lack of sleep, the large amount of people on the streets, and the noise all contributed to the lovely behavior we experienced at the parade. He didn't want to sit, and then he didn't have a chair, and then it was too loud, and then he was too thirsty, and then he didn't want a flag, and then he didn't have a bucket to collect the candy the people were throwing...the list goes on and on. However, he did semi-smile for one family picture and a couple sibling pictures.
After the parade, we headed to our sweet friends' home to swim and have lunch. The kids had a great time splashing and making water balloons. Hunter had great behavior, although seemed to be a little tired- actually laid on the ground next to the pool as our friend Miss Jen rubbed his back- he was ready to take a nap right there! We headed home after lunch and Peyton did not even last the five minute drive- he was exhausted!
We let Paige and Hunter have a movie day to relax- sleeping bags and Cars 2. Hunter was in Heaven!
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| Yummy! GF dirt cake! Complete with worms. |
At the end of each day, for the last month, I have started to tell each of the kids three reasons why I am proud of them (different for every day). Tonight, Hunter wanted me to mention the fireworks again. He was so happy with himself for attending, even when the noise could not have been greater. It reminded me of one night, three months post-virus, in our old house. I laid him in his crib, and he said, "Mommy- I am so proud of you." I remember posting it on Facebook, because I was so amazed at this statement from a two year old. Recalling it now brings tears to my eyes, because even if it was scripted, even if he must have heard me say it to him several times, over and over again, not knowing what lay ahead in our future, it melts my heart and allows me to wake each morning with the attitude that today is a new day. Today I will make a difference in his life. Today I will make him proud---of himself._"
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| The first bang |
Fast forward to 2013...
We went to the same party, with the same sweet friends, but this time I waited for Peter to go with me. :) When we arrived, most kids had finished bouncing on the water slides. Our kids jumped on the trampoline and enjoyed snow cones. Even though the fireworks caused anxiety, it was an overall positive experience. He was more anxious about the event than when it came for their fireworks themselves. And for the second year in a row, I had a snowcone spilled on me- this time on purpose. He said, "I want to go home!" as he turned the cup over onto my lap. Lovely. However, once the fireworks started, and he realized they weren't excessively loud, he sat and actually enjoyed them. My kids were definitely ready to leave and go to bed after the show, but overall, an improvement.
Rubbing those tired eyes
The parade was great! A little anxiety, but mostly compliance. No headphones this year, although he did ask me to hold my hands over his ears.
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| Patriotic homemade waffles |
Sweet Camie and Paige
getting their treat bags ready for the candy that the walkers pass out
First fire trucks!
Paige's homemade American Flag
Our little family
May or may not have bribed with a sucker for these pictures
We had our friends over to play and eat after the parade, and enjoyed the rest of the beautiful day outside. We are truly blessed.
And looking back at last year's notes, I am so proud of him.
Playing at home with Caden- new CARS track
Lunch time!
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