Parades.

On Sunday we took Animalia to the All Soul's Procession. She loved it. She loved the "scary monsters" and the drums and the people all dressed up. She loved the dresses and the hula hoop-ers and the big puppet heads. She loved that her dog was there, and her mama and daht and nana and tata. She loved all of it so much that when we left she screamed her little head off. She talked about it the next morning too, telling me about all the "skeleton people and girls" and that her dog was "a good boy with the monsters" and "I love lots of drums and people." Clearly she loves a spectacle as much as I do.

A couple of days later, I took her to the Veteran's Day Parade. I got her all excited by telling her that we were going to a parade, a term she'd heard to describe the All Soul's Procession. So she was thrilled. Then we got there and saw the military jeeps and old cars and flags and she says "Parade... where aaaare youuuuu? Are you right there? Noooooooooooo! Are you right there?! Nooooooooo!" She's cracking herself up at this point and I'm a little embarrassed because her words are crystal clear and people around us are giggling. So we go home. And next time I take her to a parade it has to have lights and fire and dancers and costumes and makeup and drums, lots of big big drums. Maybe the holiday parade?