Independence Day 2011

I love the 4th of July!  I enjoy the parades, food, and fireworks.  Ever since I was little my family has always attended the Round Top 4th of July Parade. 

I used to ride on the back of my grandpa's tractor, and once all my cousins and I made a float for the parade.  We were all dressed as cotton pickers and pulled by a tractor of course.  Matt and I met at the parade one year because he was asked to drive one of my grandpa's tractors in the parade.

And two years ago, Matt and I found out we were pregnant with Brazos on the 4th of July.

The past few years we have been riding in my father-in-law's antique cars.  Last year, Brazos was miserably hot.  We had to cover him in cold rags just keep him cool.  This year he did a lot better.  He looked out the window with mommy and waved at all the parade goers.  He even sat on daddy's lap and help drive for a while.

Now after the parade is a different story.  We had a grouchy boy on our hands that wanted to be independent and have nothing to do with grown-ups.  Actually, he was really grouchy in the morning because we gave him oatmeal and he wanted an orange.

Here's last year's parade:

Here's this year's parade:

Our nephew, Cody

Our nephew, Cullen at his first parade





On great-grandpa's tractor

In the evenings we like going to Washington on the Brazos for the fireworks show.  This year we saw the laser light show, which was just as good as fireworks and lasted about the same amount of time.  Brazos did okay, but he wanted to push his stroller instead of sit in it, and he didn't want to sit on the lawn to listen to the music before the laser light show.  We let him walk around until he noticed and girl with a hot dog.  We walked up to her and slowly got closer and closer hoping she would share.  So then we held him down and he threw a fit.  It was a bit embarassing, but luckily the music was loud enough that not many people could hear him.  He did great during the laser show.

Here's last year's Washington-on-the-Brazos:

Here's this year's Washington-on-the-Brazos:

Independence Hall

At the Brazos River Overlook

The wheel kept him occupied for a while during the music.