Fourth of July Fun

We had a very busy Fourth of July weekend together. Carter is very reactive to everything going on around him, so it makes all our outings much more exciting. Our Fourth of July started off with us watching a children's bicycle parade in Winter Park. Carter is obsessed with bicycles (and motorcycles) right now, so he was enthralled. There was also a fire truck with sirens and lights. Talk about an child in shock! I'm not sure he thought fire trucks were real since he has only seen them in books. This festival also had free hot dogs, lemonade, music, and games. It was really neat!

Carter and Mommy at the parade.

This is a pom-pom that I made Carter from Target bags, a wooden dowel, and blue masking tape. The idea came from a mommy magazine I get. This is the only time he would wave the thing. Steve hated that I called it a pom-pom, but what else would you call it? A bag waver?


This was one of the games that was at the festival-carry a wooden egg on a wooden spoon. We tried hard to keep Carter away from the games, but it didn't work. So, Steve held the egg on the spoon, and Carter walked up and down the line. Then, about 20 minutes later, we went back to walk with a Frisbee on his head, which I held on his head the entire time.

Carter's oh-so-lovely smile. I made pretzels dipped in white chocolate and sugar crystals. I thought it would be a semi-healthy treat. However, Carter only ate off the white chocolate and gave the pretzel back for me to eat. Silly boy.

While I went to a dog agility competition, Carter and Daddy played in his new pool. Steve said he was terrified of it at first, but once he got in, he loved it. He only wanted to go down the "water slide" head first. Typical boy...


We decided not to attempt a fireworks show this year. Good thing too because Carter was done by 7:45. We attempted one sparkler, which he loved to watch (not hold).

On Sunday, we went to the Fourth of July celebration at the Central Florida Zoo. Once again, we tried the petting zoo, and Carter loved the sheep. Once he saw Steve feed them, he couldn't get enough. Big change since the last time we went.


After we saw the animals and the zoo and played in the mini splash park, we took Carter to the "choo choo train". He is taking Kindermusik this summer, and the theme is Zoo Time. You get a CD when you join the class, and there is a song and a book about a train called the "Alley-Alley-o". So Carter was really excited to ride the "Alley-Alley-o" train. When we pick Carter up from daycare, we ask him what he did that day. He has been telling us for the past few months that he rode the "choo choo train". Well, he never rode the train until today. The child was in awe!


He loved every second, and now tells me each night before he goes to bed- "ride choo-choo train tomorrow?" Guess we will have to go back soon.