The Midland County Fair

Yesterday when I picked Ella up from school, she asked me, "Where are we going?" I responded, "home." To which she responded, "We're going to the fair?" The Midland County Fair started this week and many of the parents that were picking up their kids before me were taking them to the fair. There must have been a big buzz about this in the Monkey Room. When I repeated that we were just going home, Ella threw herself to the ground, started kicking and crying and pulled her dress over her arms exposing her Little Mermaid Ariel underwear for all to see. "I want to go to the fairrrrrrrr!!!!"

I finally get her to the car.
Mommy: "Tell me about your day."
Ella: "Don't talk to me! The only place my wants to go is the fair!"

Oh no. This must be a glimpse into the future of dealing with a daughter. It's funny because I'm pretty sure she doesn't remember the fair from last year, but when your Monkey room friends are excited about something it must be good.

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Fastforward to today. We pick Ella and Owen up from school early to take them to the fair. Ella is so excited that she is jumping when we pick her up. As we're driving through the fair entrance, Ella looks over at the carnival rides and exclaims, "Look, a wheel ferris!" Josh and I are both surprised that she knew what that was.

We arrive at the fair. Its 85 degrees and the Midway is hopping. Josh takes Ella on the merry-go-round, the flying elephants, and the wiggly worm. Owen is in a stimulation overload coma in his stroller. Mommy gets a corn dog and Ella has a chocolate malt. She has a perma-grin and is having the time of her life. She skips to the animal barns running through the aisles of sheep, cows, and pigs. A pig snorts and squeals at her. Ella startled says, "I didn't know pigs said that. Daddy, did you know pigs said that?" In the horse barn, a horse in the distance neighs loudly. Ella stops in her tracks and looks over at Josh and asks, "That an elephant!?" When Josh responded "no" she said, "It sounded like an elephant" followed by her most exuberant elephant noise. In the poultry barn I pointed at a turkey and asked her what it was. "A eagle?" she guessed. No. "A vocher (aka vulture)?" No. City kid.

I never thought the fair could be so much fun.