Stone Mountain was part of our fourth of July celebration. We packed a daiper bag and my nursing drape and slung the little guy into our Bjorn carrier and headed up the big ole hunk of granite to watch the fireworks.
Let me take this moment to explain a little something. Stone Mountain is a local attraction…basically just one huge rock. On the face of the rock there is a carving of some leaders of the confederacy. And each night during the summer, the Stone Mountain people beam lights onto the face drawing characters that go along with music. It’s called the laser show. It should be called the let’s-attract-rednecks-and-lots-of-foreigners-show but I guess they went with the less obvious title. At the end of the show, they shoot fireworks from the base of the mountain. It’s more fun than skinny-dippin in a pool full of dippin’ dots.
So anyhoo…if you climb up the mountain right before dark on the fourth of July, you can watch the fireworks from above…it’s pretty spectacular. The 1.3 mile trail to the top is pretty steep. Especially when you are strapped to a 14 pound baby.
Thankfully we had some great friends to trek along with – Kent & Brook and their daughter Lilley. Yes – she made it up the mountain at seven months pregnant. Doesn’t she look amazing?! I don’t remember getting off the couch at 7 months pregnant. Unless it was to eat.
The night was perfect. The sunset was beautiful.
The entire night was great…except for trying to breastfeed on top of the mountain. Not exactly private. Not exactly subtle. Especially since Will likes to wrestle the boob into submission. Complete with kicking, some screaming, scratching, pinching, and pulling off the drape….which makes modesty a thing of the past.
But nobody said being a mom was easy, right?
Well, it’s easy when you look over and see the two loves of your life against a red, white & blue sky. Seriously, how ironic, right?
Speaking of ironic, I can’t wait to teach Will that one of the most costly things in life is being free. We had such a grand time as we laid back and watched the fireworks. It was the best way to celebrate our freedoms and remind us to be thankful for the many sacrifices of people we don’t even know. So if you or a family member, a friend, a spouse, or a parent is a member of our armed forces, our fire departments, our police departments – thank you. Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for giving so much to us.
Thank you. Thank you from our family to yours.
Oh, the silhouette photo of them is awesome! Looks like a great way to spend the holiday. 🙂
That was a very nice thought from you guys. As a vet, I appreciate it. I also am so envious of your little baby! So cute!!!
That was Lilley?? She has grown up!
That picture of Will and Jeremy was beautiful. Y’all are such a cute family.
That silhouette picture of your boys is AMAZING!! I would have to frame it!! Sounds like you had a wonderful day and the view looks beautiful. Thanks for sharing!
oh stone mountain 🙂 i’ve never been to the fireworks there (besides the laser show ones) but i’ve heard it’s fun! you got some great pictures – all three of you are adorable!
“It’s more fun than skinny-dippin in a pool full of dippin’ dots.” <- made me snort.
I love your candidness (candidity? canpdiddy?). Boob wrestling is not for the faint of heart… or so I hear.
Love your blog!
Love that sihlouette picture! And Will just keeps getting cuter.
PS: If you use this code DA8A-GGY6ZX-WVYJ87 on Amazon.com you can get $10 off of any magazine subscription. House Beautiful is going for $15 right now so it knocks the prices down to $5. Woo hoo!
I love that picture of Will & Jeremy with the Red, White and Blue sky! SO awesome!
Also, that was very kind of you to thank all that have served. My husband just commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the Air Force yesterday!
WOW! What an awesome picture of your guys silhouetted against the red, white, and blue sky! I agree with Kristen…that is one to frame for sure!
I haven’t been to Stone Mountain in years!! A friend of mine was there over the holiday weekend! Looks like you guys had a wonderful time. Love all the pictures! 🙂
Hi Katie,
I haven’t commented in a while (sorry, our lives have been crazy!) but I had to drop you a note to say thank you so much for honoring those who have served our wonderful country on your blog. Just this very morning my amazing husband was deployed to Afghanistan from here in HI in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Once my lil’ man & I got home from saying goodbye, I put him to bed and since I’m too upset to sleep, I figured I would catch up on Bower Power & YHL posts from the past few days to cheer me up. Little did I know that your genuine, heartfelt thankfulness was just what the big man upstairs ordered 🙂 So no, you do not know me or my family but my husband serves to defend our country’s freedoms and for grateful families such as yours. Thank you so much for making me smile on today of all days ~ if that’s not a God thing, I don’t know what is 🙂
Hi Liz,
Thanks for the discount code! I better go check it out now!
XO – Katie
The sunset silhouette is amazing! I foresee a new photo tutorial on how to darken up and tweak an image so we can make our own sunset silhouettes… show us the light! er… dark? 🙂
LOVE the silhouette!!!!! Will is so cute! I’m trying to get enough pics of our little Jonathan (same age/size as Will, but a carrot-top) but it is much harder as he is Number Two. It really is true what they say about having more pictures of your oldest, and fewer and fewer of you youngest . . .
That profile shot of your boys took my breath away! How did you take it? LOVE!
KB! your posts haven’t been showing up in my google reader – I just assumed you were on vacation, but I’ve missed so much! Ahhh, catching up now.
Hi Katie,
I don’t know if I’ve ever commented on your blog before, but am a faithful reader. Beautiful pictures! And sweet thoughts for all of our servicemen and women. My brother is in the U.S. Navy and deploys this week. And I am so glad to hear I’m not the only one who has a hard time breastfeeding in public. Not fun! Best to you all–your family is beautiful!
Looks like fun! We went to the Braves game and watched the fireworks at Turner Field. At one point I could see our show, the fireworks at Centennial Olympic and Stone Mountain – it was incredible!
that red white and blue pic should be submitted for a competition…im not kidding. thanks for tht 🙂
The second to last picture is amazing! That is definitely one that should be printed and framed! 🙂
Will is a cutie! He looks so cozy in the bjorn. I love wearing our baby girl! Ansley loved being in rings slings when she was younger. Right now I have a beco carrier that I looooove! And my gypsy mama wrap is so comfy (and worth the effort to tie it on). 🙂 Looks like you guys had a nice 4th!
The last two pictures are pure cuteness! Love, love, love!
That silhouette photo rocks, it really needs to be framed!
And thank you for such a thoughtful post, my husband is a firefighter and was on duty for the 4th, so we weren’t able to spend it together and as much as that sucked, we all truly have so much to be grateful and thankful for!
parenthood looks good on you guys 🙂
I second Holly’s suggestion, we need a tutorial of the silhouette photo! So beautiful! Will is already growing so much! Happy (belated) 4th!
And to everyone with loved ones serving overseas, thank you!
I spent Memorial Day at Stone Mountain with my husband’s family. I was completely amazed by the fireworks. It was a fantastic show.
You’re pics are beautiful.
That was a super touching post, especially at the end. Tears in my eyes!
The silhouette pic is without a doubt, the COOLEST thing I have ever seen. And just oh so perfect. 🙂
Keep up the good work on your blog.