Julia has recently acquired a love of all things having to do with fire fighters. Well, I guess this interest started last year when we went with Elisabeth and her class on a field trip to a fire station in Colorado Springs. But, lately, Julia's interest has peaked.
At the library on base, the story time librarian told the kids that some firefighters were coming to read books and talk to them during National Fire Safety week. Julia was beyond excited. She talked about it for weeks. Then, when the day actually came, she wore Elisabeth's fire hat and told me all about how we couldn't be late (which? we are rarely late, thankyouverymuch). The fire chief read stories and then one of the fire fighters showed the kids how he puts on his gear and what he sounds like with his mask on. Julia, who never ever sits with the kids on the rug during story time because she prefers my lap or sitting by my feet, actually sat in the circle. She also turned to me to loudly declare, "Mommy, this is so cool!"
When it was over they all got to color a picture of a fire truck and received their own fire hats.
As they were leaving, the fire fighters told the kids that on Saturday, the fire station was having an open house where the kids could come and climb the fire trucks. You'd have thought it was Christmas morning with how Julia's face was beaming with delight at the idea of actually getting to visit the fire station. We'd already planned on going to Ft Sam Houston's Oktoberfest on Saturday, so we made a day of it and started with the fire station first.
They had a band playing at the fire station. Julia got her groove on:
Now, here's where my Julia is so different from her big sister. Julia, when actually presented with the opportunity to explore and touch the fire trucks, totally turned into the shyest child alive and shut down.
Elisabeth, who barely cares about such things, was climbing up in the seats and taking pictures with her camera.
When it was Julia's turn to sit in the fire seat, she about started bawling her little eyes out.
So, we very slowly and calmly walked around the fire trucks. We didn't make her touch anything if she didn't want to.
And, like we knew she would, after a few minutes she started to warm up.
She even got excited and started smiling and asking questions.
After the fire station, we headed over to the base's Oktoberfest where they served German beer (much to Evan's delight) and schnitzel and pretzels (much to my delight). The Army's polka band was playing in the biergarten tent. Julia danced and clapped and found it just a bit loud.
Then we headed over to the kid tent for games and prizes. (Do you see my uber cool 8.75 year old in her sunglasses? She cracks me up. Oh, and she has a sucker in her mouth, not a small cigarette, which is what it looks like in every picture I took of her.)
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