fair game

One of my favorite things in the world to do is go to a county fair. I love it all -- the smell of the barns, my annual corn dog (always from the most reputable looking corn-dog dealer), the precarious nature of the carnival rides, the games... And it turns out our little man is a fan of the county fair too.

The only downside to this year's fair was that they didn't have the water-squirting game where Ed and I have been known to kick water-squirting-butt and bag the coveted plush stuffed animal prize. But as the county fair robinhoods, we've made it our mission in the past to give it to some poor child who we mopped up in the spirit of competition. The kid who actually WANTED the stuffed animal -- yeah, like they were really going to win it with the likes of us behind the water pistols blowing up those clown noses. So there was no water squirting game for us to win. But it's a good thing, because now that we have a child of our own, it would've been a little harder to give it away. The funny thing was that a man came up to us and gave HIS little stuffed to little e. Little e was unimpressed. "This aint no ball, mister" I think I heard him say.

As soon as we entered the fairgrounds, the boy decided he really needed a balloon. Since we refused to give him one with the republican elephant -- or right-wing agenda (it seems they favor the balloon medium) -- on it, we had to stalk several people carrying plain balloons and ask them where they got them. We eventually found them clear across the fairgrounds where we came in. I've never seen a balloon make a boy so happy. See?


There was a lot of whoah-whoah-whoahing with steering wheels of old tractors.


Some feeding of the "doats." At one point we were informed that his finger was "STUHHK" (in the doat's mouth).


And, of course, the first pony ride. Why, yes, that is a look of terror. It seems he hasn't inherited his mama's love for horses.