We went to the North Carolina Mountain State Fair this weekend. Violet rode 3 rides! This is a big deal. She is normally timid when it comes to anything at all adventurous outside of home or the backyard.
It all started with the bumper boats. She saw them and said, "Ina ride dat." So we went with it, putting her in line with Eleanor. We assumed that by the time she had to hand her tickets to the woman (a carnie) and be lifted and placed on a boat in a huge pool of water, that the fear would overcome her and she'd be right back by our side. Nope.
She willingly handed over her three little tickets and even lifted up her arms to the stranger to be picked up, (this is huge for Violet) and off she went. I was okay with it, as long as her boat was on the outer edges of the pool, within my arms reach. When she would steer into the center of the pool, I would panic, but I'm pretty sure I did a decent job of hiding it and smiling and encouraging her and all of that good stuff... She had a blast.
After the bumper boats she saw the circus train, and cried until it was her turn to go. She didn't even care that she was on her own on this one, no Eleanor. She insisted on the front car... Again, she had a blast.
Just when I thought my little girl had gotten over her wimpiness and was becoming some sort of daredevil, we saw the carousel. We all got on, and just as I began to lift her onto the 'pity pupple hoowas' that she had chosen, she screamed- "Pity pupple hoowas eat me! No, he eat me!" (top photo) I guess she's still a wimp!
