Explosions in the Sky, etc.

Last night, I took Eskarina, my love, to the lighting of the Washington Monument in Mount Vernon with Auntie Jen and a friend. The actual lighting ceremony left her indifferent. She did NOT do so well, however, with the fireworks that immediately followed.

I knew she probably wouldn't really relish the noise (which is why I gave her a "Quiet Moments" chamomille pill to preemptively soothe her nerves), but I had assumed that the fireworks would be set off by the harbour, at a safe distance, and providing ample space for the sound of the sparks to be absorbed into the stratosphere? (Where are my geographers when I need them?) Instead, they were popped right there, on location.

It was the look of sheer and absolute terror in her eyes more than her howling that actually broke my heart into a million pieces. She was completely fine once we were removed from the scene (which, of course, we left as soon as it was clear that she would not be able to deal with her surroundings), and didn't even think to retaliate against me last night (or this morning). I still feel bad, though.

She is SUCH a good baby, my Eskarina, my love. I will never put her through that again. On the flip side, potential shootings on the streets of Baltimore might not now come as a huge shock to her senses.

Eska is a thug.