Happy 4th of July!

Happy Fourth of July!!! Last night was the Fourth of July celebration in the Emerald City where I work. Brandon brought the kids over and met Julianne and Jay at the celebration. It was the first fireworks show Gavin had ever been to so we weren’t sure how he’d handle it. Turns out, both he and Abigail rather enjoyed themselves without any fear.

The festivities include more than just a fireworks show. There’s a great kids area with bounce houses, face painting, and games. Every year they have a concert. Last year was Boyz to Men, one year Rick Springfield performed, and this year… Kenny Loggins. I think there was some sort of dog competition too. Gavin spent his time enjoying the bounce houses.

Climbing on up! Unfortunately, the picture of him sliding back down is rather blurry. He had some trouble sliding down on his own so the girl working at the slide “helped” him down with a little push. Considering the slide at the bounce arena we went to back in April is a few times taller than the slide he went down here, he shouldn’t have had a problem. However, he’s three and unpredictable in his fears.

Another action shot of Gavin playing in a bounce house.

Gavin waiting his turn, ticket in hand for the attendant. This particular bounce house was the shape of a bulldozer. Gavin loves construction equipment so this was right up his alley.

Here he goes!!! Brandon took some video of Gavin in this bounce house with the camera and it is hilarious! Gavin saw the other kids bouncing off the walls of the bounce house so he started running up and throwing himself against the wall and bouncing off.

Abby waving at the camera with Jay.

Abby hanging out with J. Her little rosy cheeks are so cute!

Brandon with Gavin and Abigail waiting for the start of the fireworks.

I’m fairly certain this is a picture of Julianne after Gavin threw a bottle of water at her mouth and gave her a fat lip. He wanted to play football and apparently thought doing so with a full plastic bottle of water without telling his receiver that he was going to launch a pass was a good idea. Poor Aunt J ended up with the inside of her lip getting busted against her teeth.

Fireworks time!!!

Abigail didn’t cry or get scared. She gazed up at the sky watching her first fireworks show in the comfort of Aunt J’s lap.

Gavin loved watching the fireworks. Despite how he’d told us that he would be scared and that the fireworks would be loud like thunder, he wasn’t scared at all.

When Brandon got back to the car with the kids Gavin told me about how he laid on the blanket and watched the fireworks. He also had a couple of flashing light up things that he held to lead the way back to my work. (They walked over to the school from where I work so they wouldn’t be stuck in all the vehicle traffic afterwards. Although it was a bit of a walk, it paid off!)

Gavin rode with me on the way home and told me all about his time at the fireworks. He was so sleepy that he could barely form his sentences but he was also excited from the evening’s events. We looked for fireworks in the sky all the way home and saw a few coming up from people’s backyards. After we got home he still chattered away about “sireworks” and probably will for quite some time.

Happy 4th of July!