I was shocked to realize that the Fourth of July is this coming weekend. I think it stems from living in Maine for so long, but I consider the 4th to be the day that catapults us into summer, full throttle. In Maine, you cannot trust the months of April, May, or June, but you can rest assured that the 4th will be ‘summah’. The 5th may be winter, but you’ll have your ‘summah’, even if only for a day.
Since this is our first week off from school, I haven’t had time to transition my mind into chilling through long lazy days, nor has my internal alarm clock stopped ringing. Thankfully, I am still hitting snooze and ignoring it.
For years in Maine, we always had a huge 4th of July picnic. Since we lived on large chunks of land, it was easy to invite everyone within a 100 mile radius. We could set up volley ball nets, play horse-shoes (haus-shoes in maine), set up a kiddie pool and sprinkler, or just turn the hose on and let the kids wallow in the mud. Each year we looked forward to our day of summer.
Since we’ve been back in New York, it’s a little different. We can still have a party, but it would have to be scaled down quite a bit. I fear the first floor of my home would collapse if I had a seventy-five people standing on it at once and nobody wants to eat their hot dog in my damp basement.
So, we are working on new traditions. This year will be different. We live near a baseball field that hosts a minor-league team and there’s a big game Friday night with fireworks afterwards. Then we’re attending a big church picnic on Sunday afternoon and Sunday night we’ll enjoy fireworks in our town. The kids are still excited, but they are unsure if they’ll get a chance to wallow in the mud. On Saturday I may have to let the hose run into the holes that the dog dug in our backyard and let them go ‘smudding’, swimming in the mud. They will feel fulfilled and only my washing machine will be crying in pain.
What are your plans for this weekend?
By the way, thank you for all of your great comments on yesterday’s post. I appreciate the chance to vent and I feel much better now. I’m sticking with this doctor, because a three-hour trip in lake affect snow can easily turn into a three-hour tour the likes of Gillian’s Island, only there wouldn’t be any sunshine or fancy coconut drinks. This doctor has the ability to give my son what he needs and I just need to do my part and kill him with kindness. It’s not really personal against me, he’s just a bit of a pain (with everyone, I’m sure). So I will bite my tongue and pray for him to be blessed by us, even if only in a small way. The end. No more complaints from me….well, for today anyway. 
LOVE your willingness to “JUST DO IT” with this doctor for the sake of your son.
You are way wise.
P
This will be the first time we take our son (who is now 2) to see fireworks. I don’t think he’ll handle it very well, he’s deathly afraid of thunder and lightning. I think fireworks will be too close to that. Maybe he’ll be fascinated. My goal is to get his older sisters to play it up a bit.
Going to a neighbor’s house. They are from South Africa and are so thankful to be in America that they throw a huge party on the 4th every year. It’s a good reminder for us that while not perfect, things are still pretty good in the U.S. of A.
Love the photo! Your porch is precious. Very Americana!
As for the doctor…..you have to be an advocate for your son. My 11 month old spent 8 months on antibiotics for constant ear infections. At 15 months, I INSISTED the doctor refer me to an ENT to remove his tonsils, adnoids and put tubes in his ears (my husband was opposed to the surgery…he didn’t even come to the hospital). After the surgery, Action gained weight, he finally had good color in his face (turns out that snot can hamper your breathing…duh!!) and his vocabulary exploded. My husband finally admitted that I had done the right thing by insisting on the surgery. Follow your Mama instinct. God gave it to you and you should trust it.
We’re going to a picnic at my friend’s new house! She and her emotional abusive psycho husband are finally getting divorced, and she bought herself a cute little house, and I’m soooo happy for her! I’m supposed to bring potato salad. I’m cheating and buying it at the Supermarket. Bad me.
Okay, I just read your post from yesterday. For Heaven’s sake, speak up to this man, to his partners, his nurse?! As a doctor, he should know that everyone reacts to traumatic events in different ways, and the details that you retain are usual just the ones most vital to YOU. Ugh, I’m disgusted by his behavior. I’d like to say that perhaps he was just having a bad day, but if this is repeat behavior… I would say something to him. Maybe he doesn’t realize how he comes across.
My baby (11m) had a dairy allergy, and then about a month ago he broke out in hives and eventually (5 minutes later) was unable to breath. It was the scariest moment of my life. I’m so, so very sorry that you (and your family) have to live with this fear. It’s paralyzing. You are a strong mom.
Whew. All of that said…
I’m from Louisiana (New Orleans), and so we always went home to be with my huge family and celebrate the 4th with a bonfire and fireworks. So much fun! But my baby was born on july 3rd last year, and this year we have a party, so… new traditions around here, too!
Hope that your celebration is as much fun as ours!
could I write a novel??! sorry.
Love your porch, have a great holiday, and you can vent any old time you want.
You are right about that doctor, kill him with kindness!
That picture looks like a slice of Americana! Since I’ve been working nonstop for the last month, the only thing I have planned for the 4th (really the 5th, when I get a day off work) is sleeping in and relaxing for the day. I’m sure we’ll watch fireworks somewhere. Perhaps in the front yard when the drunken neighbors across the street start setting them off and we have to worry about our house burning down. Instead, maybe we’ll go out on the lake for a while. I would love to watch fireworks from the boat. (Only then who will protect our house from the drunken neighbors?)
We have a boat on the Monongahela River with a picnic on the dock and cannon balls too:0
Happy day to you!
Rondell
PS Love your porch!
Great post!
Well, ahem, my hubby was born on the 4th of July, so it’s always a Big Deal.
Celebratory lunch, boatride with cannonballs into the lake, a blowout barbecue, then fireworks over the lake and run-around-barefoot-with frisbee type games in the grass.
Whispering the big news HE WILL BE 60!!!
Just let them smuddle nekkid…no problem. I’m sorry I haven’t been around much lately. I just went back and read all the posts I’ve missed…gosh you’ve been busy!
The doctor post liked to have broke my heart. How dare he challenge you as a mother. The fact that you are there and putting up with his crap ought to tell him something…who would go thru that unless they loved their child more than life?
I think you don’t need to be nice…I think you need to get a ‘tude with him. Give him back what he’s dishing out and don’t let him intimidate you. Doctors (not all…but too many) think they are God without realizing God is the one who provides their talent. If you push back…what’s the worst that can happen? You’ll just be taking a weekly road trip until you find another specialist. Check with your local hospital and see if they can recomend someone. I’ll be keeping you in my prayers.
Debbie