I don’t think I’ve partied on the 4th for a few years now, and I don’t see that changing much. By party, I mean drink and light fireworks and all that comes with that.

Last year this was around the time that I found out I was pregnant. I was just trying to figure out how to break the news to Jason. See we’d talked about having children and starting a family, but our conversations were more like sometime in the future, a future that was at least a few years away. But anyway, that’s a story for another time.

This year was our 4th of July holiday with a little one, and we just wanted to make sure that she stayed safe and didn’t get too afraid of all the fireworks. That and I love an excuse to put Allie in a tutu. Ha, just kidding, I never need an excuse.

I loved her little outfit. Her leotard is a piece from a small shop, Lili Lane, that makes the most amazing leotards. I thought it was fitting given it’s patriotic in design and has lyrics “Loves her Mama and America too,” from Tom Petty’s “Free Falling” across the front. Love that song.

Our country may not be perfect, but what country is. Governments are run by people and at the end of the day people are simply human and humans make mistakes. But I always take Independence Day as a day to reflect on the positive things that my country has given me. The right to have this blog for one. The right to say what I want, when I want, and dress my daughter in anything I want, whenever I want.

Coming from Cuban parents I know all too well what a blessing it is to have the freedoms that we take for granted every day. Today, watching my little girl giggle in her blue tutu at the silliest things reminded me just how lucky we are to live her. How lucky I am to have a child here and raise my daughter in a country that offers her more freedom and privileges than my grandmother had.

Happy Birthday America, and thank you for all you’ve given me.