Parades

Yesterday, we traveled 3.5 hours to my home town for their annual parade.
Well...it's not only a parade but it also includes a carnival and rides and delicious fair food...but we had already decided that all those things would be too much.

The bird.

The bird has a really hard time in places with lots of people
and
loud noises
and
stimulation
and
isn't our regular stomping grounds

We thought the parade would be pushing it...
you see...at 6, she has NEVER enjoyed a parade.

Oh sure...we have gone to parades and tried to watch them and tried to catch candy and watch the prancing horses but...the sirens startle her and that causes seizures...
and
her medicine makes it difficult for her to regulate her temperature and the dead of summer heat will cause seizures
and
the people and the candy throwing make her panic

so we try
and then we leave after 5-10 mins
and we watch the parade from inside my grandma's house (which is not my grandma's any longer...it is now my cousin, Sarah's but you get the idea) or the car or we walk home and help hr calm down and get back to status-quo.

So...
we went to my parents' house (grandpa grandpa's) and she had a blast and then we piled in the car (well...she piled in with grandma and grandpa...Cori and I had a childless 5 mile drive!!!) and went into town for the parade.

Yesterday...for the first time ever....my bird enjoyed a parade.
She brought her bag for candy (Jake and the Neverland Pirates) and had her hair braided to stay out of her face (thank you grandma) and sat on the curb...like every other 6 year old...and watched the parade.

We taught her how to catch candy (sorry other kids whose candy we may have swiped in our complete and utter joy) and she watched over 3/4 of the parade, sitting on the curb, dancing to the bands, waving to the floats...just like every other child.

I cried
My mom cried
Cori cried on the inside

yesterday...I caught a glimpse of something "they" assured us would never happen.

thankfully...my bird never listened to "them" anyway.