Night Vision

Well, it's finally here!  The weekend for which we've all been waiting:  The British Musical Fireworks Championship!  And this year is the Champion of Champions as seven winners from the first competition back in 1999 are battling for the title of the Ultimate Winner.

There is a bit of sarcasm wrapped-up in there as no one out of Southport seems to know about this event, but a fireworks display is always delightful; so, no matter the hefty title, fireworks are a great family-friendly opportunity for time out of the house together.

It's been a long time since we did anything as a family outside after 7 P.M.  We didn't know it when we left to ride the train to Birkdale, but our senses had forgotten what it was like to be in the dark outside the safety of our four walls.  In all actuality, it has been nearly two years since we ventured out for a bit of nightlife excitement and we were thrown off by how scary the world is at night.

Jackson was safely tucked into his stroller under a thick blanket and even wanted to be buckled in for once!  Lee and I were facing the wild world without the barrier of a blanket though, and it was terrifying.  It all started with the thuggish teens at the train station.  They're so loud, brazen with their language, and barely clothed.  Scary stuff.  And at night, they seem to multiply.  There were probably only eight of them, but in the frightening blur of it all, it sounded like there were 30, maybe 40, of these delinquent youths.

The train arrived and we waited until the teens boarded so we could get into a different car.  We rode safely for the two stops required to get to Birkdale and of course, the crew of teens were getting off at the same station.  I feel better when a group of teenagers are in front of me instead of following in hot pursuit of my purse, or the diaper bag, or our baby, so I did the classic mom move:  pull to the side and pretend to be looking for something in the depths of my handbag that I need 'right now.'  So after many times of rotating through my script ("Oh dear.  I just had it.  Now, where is it?  Is this it?  Oh great; not again."), the gaggle of ruffians sauntered by and we were safe to make our way to the fireworks.

Do cars drive faster at night?  Yes.  Well, I think they do.  Even the roads took on a nigthmarish persona and each passing car seemed to be headed straight for us.  All we could see were headlights racing this way and that.  It was like a city of Christines.

The last fright of the night was an unlit pathway leading to part of the Trans Pennine Trail.  Usually a welcoming sight, the reduced visibility at night turned it into a passage of doom.  We could only see about 12 feet into the walkway and then it dropped off into a dark, evil abyss.

After running passed the opening to the trail, we found a safe, well-lit spot to view the fireworks with Jackson.  It was his first time seeing these sparkly explosions and he was surprised to see such a spectacle.  With shouts of "Wow!" and "Woah!" we could see that the trip out was all worth it in the end.

Jackson sporting his favourite hat, Diane Keaton style

Modelling, again.

We got a new deck!  (See the progression through the week below.)

We had a flower box put in at the far end of the deck just for fun.

See a link below in the comments section of the handyman who did this beautiful work!  We are really pleased with the outcome and how much better it makes the backyard look.  Also, it's much safer for Jackson now without all of the uneven cement flagstone work.

Jackson, taking it all very seriously and Lee, being a kid again

Mumsie and Jackson

The first round of the competition (and the only one we saw as Jackson fell asleep after this 15-or-so-minute show).

Developmental updates:  Jackson has become trickier.  He has expanded from his hiding and shouting, "Boo!" phase and has now moved on to sneakier tactics.  For instance, I was driving him to nursery and from the back seat, after 30 minutes of no talking at all, I hear, "Sssssss."  A snake in my car?  "Sssssss."  I started acting like I was scared, but still, all I got was, "Sssssss."  Jackson then moved on to roaring.  He said a few new phrases some of which include showing us that he is learning his colours.  He said 'red shoes,' 'three, two, one, blast off!' 'race,' 'wow,' 'me go,' 'hot,' and 'huh?'  This last one (huh?) is used when he's trying to be tricky in another way.  I asked him to put his coat on this week, and he clearly didn't want to, but instead of throwing a fit, he looked at me with a furrowed brow and said, "Huh?"  Then I said, "Put your arm through," because he knows the word 'arm' and he will usually put his coat on at this point because he likes to prove that he knows that word.  But still, all I got was, "Huh?"  I admired his craftiness and I prefer this new tactic over crying and throwing a tantrum.  On Thursday, Jackson began his six-week Zumbini course at nursery and his teacher said that he loved every minute of it.

If you see Sammie Miles Davis, Jr. and Bella, give them my love.