Weekend Recap: The Belle City Fair

Growing up in small town Missouri, nothing defined summer more than seeing the fair roll into town. We lived adjacent to the fairgrounds, and every year I would watch as the carnival crew assembled each and every ride, anxiously counting down the hours until it began. The world was a much simpler place back then, so our parents let us run wild throughout the fairgrounds, racing from one ride to another while stuffing our faces with greasy carnival food. It was the best part of summer.

I have very fond memories of summer evenings spent at those fairgrounds but, as an adult, my experiences have been somewhat different. The joy and excitement of the carnival has dwindled for me over the years, but seeing Taylor's face light up at the sight of those bright lights was perhaps more enjoyable than when I was able to experience it as a child myself. She had a blast riding all of the kiddie rides, but her favorite had to be the big red firetruck that went round and round.

She squealed with joy when she spun in the twirling bears, and she'd let out a nervous/excited giggle every time we went over a hump on the big pink slide. But her favorite thing of all was running around laughing and playing with her cousins. These girls are three of a kind, a little traveling circus that provides entertainment wherever they go!

The kids rode rides all night on Friday, so we decided to take a break and watch the entertainment on Saturday night. The little girls had so much fun singing, dancing, and stealing bites of Papa's caramel apple during the concert. When the show was over, Logan went home with Granny while we took the rest of the kids to the carnival. The three amigos were having the time of their lives which meant we had to practically drag Taylor out of the park, whining and crying, of course, because it was way past her bed time.

Logan also got in on the fair action, but his experience was a little different. Since he's too small to actually do much, he spent the evening being passed around between family members and staring at all of the bright lights. He was such a good boy, never crying or fussy, even though we stayed out far later than he liked. He loved watching the rides spin through the air and gave big belly laughs to anyone who would pay him attention. I can't wait to watch him run with the big kids next year!

It was a memorable weekend that we won't soon forget (especially a certain two year old who is still asking to ride the firetruck just one more time). The fair was good to us, but we're glad to see it go. It may take weeks to recover from the lack of sleep and bellyaches, but it was totally worth it.

Logan 4 Month Update

It's hard to believe that a third of Logan's first year has already gone by. Before long, he'll be pulling his sister's hair, talking 90 miles an hour, and running faster than I can keep up. Time goes by faster than I'd like, but I'm trying my best to embrace it and cherish all of those precious "firsts" as he experiences them.

Logan has been waking up super early (like 4 AM still-dark-out early), and in an attempt to put him back to sleep last weekend I dug out Taylor's old security blanket thinking it might soothe him back to sleep. Taylor never cared much for a security blanket, but we kept it because it was a gift from her nana and it's adorable. After digging through both Taylor and Logan's closets (and completely waking myself up in the process), I finally found it and sure enough, it worked. He rubbed that blanket between his hands and snuggled it against his little cheeks until he had soothed himself right to sleep. I couldn't believe it.  While I've heard about the magic that security blankets can bring, I had yet to see it until now. It's my new go-to whenever I need to keep him occupied long enough for me to brush my teeth, help Taylor go potty, or take 5 seconds just to breathe. First time mommas, take note: hoard every single baby gift you ever receive, because you never know when you may need it.

What's new this month?  Logan is officially mobile, rolling onto his belly as soon as he hits the ground and quickly getting frustrated since he can't quite roll back over. He is very vocal with his frustrations, loudly yelling (or "fussing" as Taylor calls it) until someone comes to his rescue. He enjoys people watching, is infatuated with Micky Mouse, and hates if we are out of eyesight for even five seconds. He loves to sit on our laps so he can watch big sister play and, of course, be part of whatever conversation is taking place.

 This month also brought an extraordinary amount of drool from those pesky teeth that are trying so hard to break through. Poor thing has been a little fussy in the evenings, but overall teething hasn't dampened his spirits much. He is such a happy boy with the most easy going, laid back attitude (just like his dad). He giggles at everything but lifting him in the air or playing peek-a-boo always seems to get the loudest squeals. He has a radiating smile and two deliciously chubby cheeks that are constantly begging to be kissed. Who could possibly resist that face?

Our boy continues to grow (by the second it seems), and I'm convinced he'll be too big for his pumpkin seat by fall! He weighs in at 17 lbs and measures 25 1/2" long and is wearing a size 2 diaper (although he'll be making the move to a size 3 soon). He's still able to wear most of his 3-6 month clothes but is quickly moving into 6-9 months pieces. I hope he can fit into his summer wardrobe throughout the reminder of the season, but, at this rate, it doesn't look very promising. He continues to be a great sleeper (minus waking up before dawn) and loves to cat nap throughout the day.

In case you're wondering who Logan looks like (as most people do), he is almost identical to my baby photos. The biggest similarity lies in the cheeks, proving that I was just as chubby (if not chubbier) than Logan when I was his age. As you can tell from the comparison below, Taylor was also quite the chunk. It may take more effort on my end, but I absolutely adore a chunky baby. Those ankle rolls make a sore back completely worthwhile.

It's clear that Logan is going to be a boy in every sense of the word, loud and boisterous one minute and a quiet momma's boy the next. We love to love you, Logan. Thank you for being ours.