by Maggie Downs posted in Life

Give me a clear night, a cold drink, and something sparkly in the sky, and I?m all set.
In short, I?m a fireworks fan.
When I was in college, I even took a class about the history and development of pyrotechnic devices, because I?m a nerd who also likes to have a blast.
Obviously, I wanted to pass this love along to my child.

Four summers ago, my child was due on July 4. I remember sitting on a blanket in a field near my house, watching the city?s Independence Day display and rubbing my belly. Each boom seemed to reverberate through me, and the baby acknowledged them with a series of kicks. I couldn?t wait for my son to make his debut and experience the fireworks with his own eyes.
The following July 4th, I was tired. My almost-1-year-old dozed in his crib, and I was just happy to have a sleeping child. I didn?t dare disturb him. But last year" It was on.

Sure, fireworks can be glorious for those of us who have a little experience navigating the world. But for the new little ones among us, it?s terrifying to be taken out of bed, dragged outside ? sleepy and disoriented ? and see explosives.
Hi, mom of the year here.
This time around, I?ve been talking to my son about fireworks and I showed him a couple of videos, getting him excited about the possibility of seeing them in real life. But I still haven?t decided if we?re going to make a point of going outside to see them or not. It doesn't matter to me so much anymore. I've watched a lo...