Mommy/Peter Date: County Fair 2014

Saturday evening Tom stayed home with Anna (thanks to her new bottle-drinking skills), and Peter and I hit the town to catch the last night of the Montgomery County Fair. I wasn't sure how it would all go, but we had a blast and Peter did great for 3.5 hours of crazy fair fun. Which began in force as we parked at the mall and caught a shuttle ride on a BIG YELLOW SCHOOL BUS! Oh the thrill of it. 

We joked about how we were "the people on the bus [who] go bumpily-bump-bump." As we bumped along to the fair, he was saying "Seat! Bus! People!" and enthusiastically repeating just about every other word I said about the experience. He cried when we arrived at the fair and he had to get off the bus. I assured him that there were still more thrills to be had. When I mentioned the tractors, his countenance finally brightened. 

When he beheld them all, it reeeally brightened. 

Rare is the tractor seat there that did not hold the tush of my little boy that night. 

Trying out all the "Nanos" (lawnmowers)

Just a little throwback to last year's fair. He's grown so much I doubt the tractors even recognized him. 

Yep. 

After aeons of tractor exploration, I was finally able to lure him away by pointing out a little red stand where we could get cookies. A yearly Martin family tradition, these little gems did not disappoint. 

 Then on to the animals! Peter was able to conquer his recent sheep phobia. Here he is waving at the sheep. We also visited the bunny barn where he said hi to numerous hop-hops and got to pet one. 

We spent some time with a donkey. The second shot took just as the donkey whinnie-snorted in Peter's face, sending him reeling back into Mommy. 

 These two favorites were encountered on our way out. This sheep was loudly BAAA-ing to whoever would listen. Peter again overcame his aforementioned phobia (it helped that it wasn't a black sheep--those are really bad news) and repeatedly BAAAed back. He was engaged in that for a long time. 

Peter greeted the pigs with an "Inck, inck, inck!" And, to help you appreciate this scene, you'd need to understand that one of Peter's favorite things lately is to "theep." That is, to play "sleep." He often requests, "Mommy, theep!" and so we will lay down with our heads on pillows, sometimes pull a cover over us, and perhaps snore. But it's all a tease for this sleepy Mama; this boy can't stay put for more than two seconds together. But all the same, he's been obsessed with theeping. Which is why these pigs so delighted him. He wanted to get in and theep with him. 

We didn't do any rides or games. It got late, and the challenges of waiting in line with a restless toddler for the Ferris Wheel (my one un-fulfilled hope for the evening) or exposing an emotionally maxed out little boy to mountains of neon toy prizes, outweighed the benefits. But truly a wonderful time was had by all. Though we had a few rough moments, over all Peter was a great date and Mama's little buddy. We don't get to have the 1-on-1 adventures we used to, but it makes times like this all the more sweet.