Fireworks for the baby and the 4yo

Our 4yo is scared of loud noises and fireworks in general, the 22 month old we didn’t know, so we took them to Nolensville TN for what we assumed would be a smallish fireworks event that we could skedaddle from in the event of meltdown.

Maggie was afraid that the fireworks were going to scare her, baby had no clue. We spent the time waiting for the fireworks show playing on a playground, kicking a ball around a field, and singing along with Groove Addiction, a band that was headlining and singing some of the music from the Trolls soundtrack.

The time came, the scared set in. I picked up the baby and the first booms started. They weren’t particularly loud but the wriggling mass in my arms was a little concerned. I looked at the 4yo, she’d sat mesmerized and laughed in fear/joy at the next few booms. She shrieked at one point and the baby started going south.

I shrieked similarly and laughed, she looked at me and laughed, I cradled her in my arms like the baby she is as the fireworks exploded and lit up the sky and she started laughing as they blew up.

Initially not in a “yay” sort of laugh but the “hah, you didn’t do anything to me” sort of laugh. But things worked out and neither child was particularly worried, which was good as we had a 10 minute walk to get to the car and that would have been pretty miserable in the dark.

Overall, for a 1st of July 4th of July fireworks festival the Nolensville TN one was great for kids.

Maggie ran up to some girls and started talking to them and after a while I pulled her away and she mentioned that they were not mean like the ones we’d met at that other park, and they didn’t think my shirt was ugly, which was what she remembered about the mean girls in the park near us.

Good time was had by all until we got stuck in traffic leaving and then a good time was still being mostly had but I was getting frustrated with having to tell the 4yo that no, I was no going to go around all these cars because there was no where to go.