fireworks!

the bean had an uncharacteristically late night on new year's eve. she had a shower with me and then her dinner, but after that daddy took her out on a walk - or rather he walked and she sat on her trike.

but instead of heading home and thence to a bath/bed, i came to join them and we went to a lookout point that had a view of the harbour bridge and sydney cbd. there were already many families there - some sitting on camping chairs with their coolers, videocams on tripods, all ready for the action. we arrived at 8.30pm and had another half hour to while away before the fireworks.

it is wonderfully thoughtful of the aussies to organise 2 fireworks displays: one at 9pm for "families" and the other for the big midnight do.

it was difficult keeping the bean from becoming too antsy. had to sing, distract ("oh let's look for a cat", "can you see the stars?", "ooh, that was a bat" etc etc) and pass her back and forth between daddy and mommy. when the fireworks FINALLY started it was none too soon for me as the bean had begun pleading "mirk mirk peeese" and plucking at my collar, just milliseconds away from an all-out paddy for bed and milk.

she was duly diverted by the fireworks - the different sparkling, trailing, noisy, booming colours, like shimmering stars. there were also patterned ones like outlines of cubes and heart shapes. they were entertaining and there was much oohing and ahhing from the crowd around us.

well, all too soon the show ended. as we walked home in the deep twilight, the bean chatted to her daddy about it. she concluded by saying, "thang you farh-wer" (thank you, fireworks).

back at home, as soon as her head touched the bed she was asleep. the sleep of the innocent.

footnote: her first word(s) when she woke up in the new year was "farh-wer!", followed by "dair-ee, ma-ee, you, farh-wer!"