Capturing Moments: Stock Show 2008

We went to the Stock Show a few days ago. Ben is now too big for the backpack and we definitely felt that "growing pain" :o) There are several places you can't take strollers (particularly where they hold the cattle and horses...that seems dumb...I would think you would want the small children confined to a stroller around massive beasts like cattle!), so that was hard to keep Ben holding hands. I suddenly find myself thinking that child leashes may be a good idea :o) Ben is just too curious and too active for most parts of the Stock Show and it wears us out quickly. But, we still spent about 4 hours there ~ so it was obviously manageable. I love to watch anything that has to do with horses. This year we got to watch some of the Horse Reining competition ~ that was a lot of fun. Ben enjoyed the petting zoo a lot and wasn't afraid of the animals at all. Cailey likes the petting zoo, although not as much as Ben. Cailey doesn't like to touch the animals and she is a little afraid to feed them for fear that they will bite her. We did get to see a two day old goat! He was so small and soooo cute. Scott humored me and didn't complain (much) when we walked around to the majority of the trade booths ~ I love looking at all that junk! Ben enjoyed saying hello to every cowboy...that was anyone wearing a cowboy hat..."Hello, Cowboy" he would say. Most of the men seemed tickled that they were being recognized as a "cowboy" ~ it was very cute. Ben also frequently asks to have a drink of whatever I happen to be drinking. I usually tell him, "No, you won't like this, it's icky." But, at the Stock Show, while I was holding a beer, Ben looked at me and says, "Ben drink please? I wike it, Mommy!" Sadly, I think he knew it was beer and he really does wike it :o) And Cailey...oh, my Cailey-girl...we can always count on Cailey to make us laugh and smile. This was our morning conversation as we got dressed:

Cailey:

Mom, I am wearing jeans to the Stock Show.

Me:

Great! Sounds good.

Cailey (holding up a shirt different than the one she was wearing):

I am going to change my shirt because this one isn't really cowgirl-ish. Do you think this shirt looks cowgirl-ish?

Me:

That's fine if you want to change your shirt. Yeah, that one will work.

Cailey:

Well, it's a little tight, but I think it looks cowgirl-ish...and when I go somewhere with a theme, I like to dress up in that theme.

Me (unable to control my giggles):

A theme, huh.