Little tan boys and Independence Day

While my husband and I are getting stuff moved from the old house to the new, Thing One and Thing Two have been going with Nana every day. Thing One threw a fit this afternoon when Nana brought him back, so evidently she is doing her grandma thing and spoiling them. Thing Two was happy to see me, but not in any sort of grump afterwards, which is pretty good for him, as he's still nursing and a bit of a Mama's boy. I expect he'll outgrow that when he weans.
Yesterday, she took them to the zoo, and out to her and Poppa's house. Thing One reported that "I help Poppa work!" Nana translated that he had gone with Poppa to move the water. Poppa likes to drown as much foliege as he can before and on Independence Day, as they live up in the hills. Today Thing One had gym class, and he reported "I did summersaults and backrolls." He answers yes to nearly everything I ask him directly, so I have to wait for him to volunteer information to find out what happened. Nana said she packed a picnic, and they went to the zoo again (she has a membership), after which she bought them ice cream! Did I mention she's spoiling them? Thing One's feet are tanned in the shape of his sandles, and both of them are just as brown as can be.
Thing Two is now allowed to throw his own diapers in the trash. This is a huge deal to him, and he loves doing it. He still tries to throw everything else in the trash, though, anyway.
We went to watch the city fireworks last night: Thing One was spellbound. He put his little hands up by his chest, pointed his fingers, and bang-bang'ed all the fireworks. Thing Two watched for a while, then decided the major street right behind us was more interesting, and Daddy played chase the baby for the rest of the show.
After that, we went home. Thing Two fell asleep in the car, but Thing One stayed awake. Daddy had bought some little fireworks, and Thing One loved them. It was the first time I ever got to handle anything more dangerous than a sparkler. Clearly, I was overprotected as a child.
We saved half of them for May 20th next year. Daddy told us that fireworks are generally not a big part of Independence Day celebrations over there, but those who can afford them do set them off. I'm sure the neighbors will think we're crazy. That's okay, though, as the neighbors are crooks. At least, someone stole the exterior light fixtures and bulbs off of the mobile home. So we have at least one set of neighbors who are thieves. We've got a guess as to which one--the one that's suddenly sprouting a new light on the back porch where it was broken before. The same one as threw their old camper top onto our lot. Sigh. The folks on the other side seem nice, and there's a fence on that side, anyway. Good fences make good neighbors. It's on our list of things to do. If whoever took the lights thinks we're crazy, that's all to the good, right?
There is always a burn ban where my parents live, and my dad used to get a permit from the fire marshal in order to have fireworks. (Things are very green this year, but normally if you look wrong at the hills they start smoking.) Of course without a child at home, they no longer bother. The best thing with them for fireworks was always that they would save a whole pile, tons and tons, for New Years Eve. That being their aniversary as well. If you still have some of those little ground flowers left, and you live in a snowy place, wait until there are two good, thick crusts some four inches apart. Knock a hole in the top one and drop the lit ground flower through. It will spin under the crust on top of the bottom crust, and looks spectacular.
The little guys are asleep on their mattresses--the bed frames are already moved. Thing Two doesn't like not having his crib around him, he's not ready for a real bed. I'm hoping he'll be able to share with his brother soon, it'll give them that much more room. I'm thinking feet-to-feet for a while, and when Thing One is big enough, we'll get a bunk bed for them. Boys and bunk-beds. I have a feeling they'll be 'flying' off the top bunk before long.