Everybody Loves A Parade. And Balloons.

The hooligans and I attended our first ever St. Patricks Day parade yesterday. Poor Erin had to work so missed out on the fun (and we missed her). Our town reportedly has one of the largest St. Patrick's parades in the state. Whatever, it was very small towny, down homey, which I love. It was essentially bag pipe band after bag pipe band, with a few other types of bands thrown in, as well as the proverbial town and state officials riding in classic cars.

Waiting for the parade to start.

Leo has discovered eating an apple and exhibits a moment of generosity.

I'd like to say Ellie's little eyes were lighting up at the sight of the bands and dignitaries, but no.

It was the Elmo balloons.

Notice how she has her tongue out at the sight of the balloons? It's like she's so excited she wants to touch them. With her tongue, I think.


Sorry, time out for a second. All these parade pictures got me thinking of this, the last parade we attended on July 4.

Can I just ask who stole my baby? Where did her chunky Don't Mind Me I Just Started Walking Legs go? And even Leo looks considerably miniature. OK. Sorry about that. Just getting a little misty eyed. Back to yesterday...

There were some really cool looking (and sounding) bands. The guys with the guns (rifles?) shot them (blanks, obviously) and neither kid freaked out. I was shocked.

I'm realizing now that I didn't take any pictures of the bag pipe bands! Oh well, you'll have to take my word for it. I guess I thought the revolutionary and civil war style bands were more interesting, though I love the haunting sound of bag pipes.


There was a slightly seedy, shall we say "alcohol laced" mood in the air, which I didn't care for too much. It wasn't hugely noticeable but it was definitely there. Unfortunately that seems to go right along with St. Patrick's Day festivities. Oh well. The kids didn't notice. We sat next to a nice family, the dad had a thick Irish accent. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good drink as much as the next person, just not on Main Street. At 11 a.m. on Sunday morning, from a beverage hidden in a brown paper bag.

After the parade.

Parades are exhausting, apparently, even when you don't even march in them.

All in all, a great day. I feel like being a mom has made me a more adventurous person. I've always been a little reserved, nervous. I mean it's not like I haven't done "adventurous" things (backpack through Europe alone, attend a college sight unseen) but having kids really forces you to get out there and do things you might not do, just to save your santity. In the past I might have been all "Oh I don't feel like going to the parade, let's just stay home, I don't know exactly where it starts, where to park..." No time for that with kids. You just have to get out there. It's fun showing them the world.