NC State (Un)Fair.

Yesterday we went to the North Carolina State fair in Raleigh. I was sort of excited to go this year because it was to be a beautiful day, the kind best spent outdoors with your two best guys. I thought all the commotion and sights and sounds would be a nice change of pace for Liam. You know, anything other than staring at my ugly mug all day. So we drove, we paid, we parked, we walked, we paid again and we were inside the fair grounds. Within minutes Liam wanted nothing to do with his stroller. Its not his fault, its a stupid design that leaves him exhausted from doing chin ups just to see over the stupid snack tray. In case you missed it I think our stroller is stupid.

So we pull him out and take turns carrying him while the other pushes the empty stroller. The empty stroller that kept bashing into the Achilles heel of many a stranger unfortunate enough to be moving along at a slower clip than us. Excuse me, I'm sorry. Whoops, Sorrrrrrry.

After a Butcher Boy's London broil sandwich we head off to the kiddie rides. I had been talking up the tea cups all week and was really looking forward to seeing how Liam would react. However my teacup dreams were dashed as Liam was about 10 inches shy of the height requirement WITH a paid adult. I'm sorry but that too, is stupid. I'm going to be sitting in the teacup holding him while the teacup moves in circles at a staggeringly slow pace. Sorry ma'am rules is rules. Well if there's one thing fair ride operators are known for its their dedication to safety. I shouldn't be pissed, as we walked away the yellow teacup broke loose and spun off throwing its passengers onto the midway.

I'm kidding.

After we walked by every kiddie ride and discovered there wasn't a single one we could go on I suppose we were looking a little haggard and defeated because a young lady called to us from her booth. "A game even baby boys can win, just catch a duck and win a prize" Even Baby Boys Can Win!?! Honey, did you hear that? This game is for us!! Yeah, she saw me coming a mile away, I know. So we walk over to see yellow rubber duckies floating by in circles. You get three tries and all you have to do is catch a duck. That's it. And perhaps catch isn't the right word perhaps pick up would be a more accurate description. Its not like they're moving at a challenging speed. They're just floating along like they would in your tub. So I sit down on the stool with Liam in my lap, leaning against the counter, watching the duckies. He's eager, hungry for it. I can see it in his eyes. So we pay up and she gives us the go ahead. Liam dives his hands into the water and proceeds to splash the [expletive] out of the booth. Did I mention he loves the water? I guess I should have seen it coming. With a little redirection (and a lot of help) he managed to pull three ducks out of the water but I'm pretty sure he was just trying to get them out of his way so he could splash more. Whatever, he won a prize. We picked out a Carolina blue monkey which apparently pleased him because every time we show him that silly monkey he starts laughing like its the funniest thing he's ever seen.

All that duck hunting must have really tired him out because by the time we found the petting zoo he was out cold. Which again, was slightly disappointing for me but certainly not disappointing enough to wake him. So he slept and we found our way back to the car. Maybe we'll have better luck next year. Hopefully they will have the kinks worked out with the teacups by then.