Who is this child?

It seems it normally works out that the weekend of the Irish Festival is during the State Fair. For two years running, we've made it into a family weekend-o-fun. Last year, we added Picnic With Pops; this year we added an out-of-town graduation and zoo. Both years very tiring, but also very fun, despite the fact that it appears we took a different child each time.

The Irish Festival has a Wee Ones area full of SuperGames - big, blow-up slides, climbing walls, mazes, bouncing houses, etc. Last year we bought him the wrist band, but he wouldn't go on anything. Not anything. At all. Not even just jumping in a bouncy house. Shrieked. Just really shrieked. It wasn't pretty. The Fair, of course, has fair rides. Last year we did the fair prior to the festival. Had to beg, borrow and plead to get him on the baby train ride, and even then had to ride with him. Finally got him on a little water ride too. He said he wanted to ride a pony, but when we put him up on the little guy, more shrieking. Lots and lots of shrieking. Outlook for this year, not so hot.

One year does a lot.

This year, our child, though at times skeptical, turns out to be a complete daredevil. Festival first this year, and he was so excited in the Wee area that he was jumping straight up and down and running into things on purpose - it was his own little mosh pit. Couldn't help himself; couldn't stand still. He even, and I still can't believe it, got on this contraption that was bungee cords and a trampoline, basically. He was too small to ride the thing, but so passionate about it that the guy let him on. He was amazing. At the fair, same story - rode kiddie rides, but still - a roller coaster, flying swings, flying other stuff, giant slide, bumper boats, etc. LOVED the pony ride; kept yelling, "YEEE-HAW!" which was amusing for everyone in earshot, a pretty far distance.

Really amazing weekend. Really amazing. Wow.