Parade Day

As promised, we took the boys to the Columbus Day parade on the hill this weekend. I know in some places Columbus Day isn't celebrated, I've started learning it's a big No in some places. But HERE, if you are Italian, it's Huge. A big old italian festival in what was once the most Italian spot in the state (although now you do see a few chinese restaurants and other things on the street too).

I did my best to put aside my memories from the year before and we packed the kids up and off we went. We walked the whole strip while the boys oohed and aahed. We ran into some old friends. And we found my cousin, her kids, her sister in law and her kids and a friend. 6 adults and 9 kids all squished next to a beer & popcorn vendor and across from Venda. It.was.awesome. The kids were having a ball eating kettlecorn, my cousin got me a Perroni. That's right, Perroni's before noon. And it was So Fun!

The parade was going great. We knew we had to leave early to take the twins to grab a quick lunch and get them to hockey practice. The big guy was sitting in a wagon with my cousin's daughter when we heard the cannons in the distance.

And He Freaked.

Freaked so loudly I was embarassed. His whole body got stiff, he started shaking & screaming and crying and I scooped him up and sat on the curb. We didn't have to go yet and the boys were all - had all - been having a really good time. Surely we could get through One cannon blast in front of us. I thought fast and pulled out my cell and my headphones and turned on the music to put the ear buds on him.

But he wouldn't let me. And his screaming and crying got worse and nothing I said could calm him down. 'I want to go, I want to go, I want to go!' he yelled over and over. My husband got the twins and all our stuff and we were off and trying to beat the cannons through the crowd to get back to the car. He cried the whole entire way.

And it's not the 1st time. Yet for some reason, I didn't expect it at the parade. He has Never been able to stand the sound of fireworks. The 1st year we tried to take the boys we had to leave. There was that one time there was a loud noise at a children's party we were at and he hit the ground screaming, even though it had not bothered the other kids. And then, the air show. He Loves airplanes. Two years ago he had a ball - all 3 of the boys did. But this summer? Even with the ear plugs we had to carry him out screaming, crying and shaking. I'm beginning to see a pattern here.

I feel so awful for him. It really breaks my heart. And then there is this piece of me that feels bad because it also irritates me a little. Come on, I think. You are almost 5. Your 3 year old brothers are handling things better than this. And then I have to stop and think that maybe this is connected to - other things. I am seriously about to invest in some noise cancelling headphones, whch he has already told me he refuses to wear... but maybe if I happen to have them and he actually tries them it will be calming.