State Fair

The Iowa State Fair is a unique cultural experience.  It attracts people of nearly every demographic, and offers an interesting people watching experience.  I had planned to sit this year out since taking a 4 month old in the heat seemed like it would be no fun for us or her.  But the weather recently made a change for the better (from hell's fire to pleasant summertime), so we decided to meet my family for a short day trip and Scout's first state fair experience.  Every four years the fair is taken over by politicians.  Luckily, we went the day after the Straw Poll so they had cleared out.  Thankfully.

We got up semi-early (after a major breakthrough on the sleep front), and I got her dressed in her "Locally Grown" onesie thinking it would make for a nice photo op.

However, a blow-out as we were leaving the house necessitated a costume change. I do realize that she does not need baby leg warmers and socks in 80+ degree temperatures. But her legs and feet are the only thing that stick out of her stroller, and I was/ am paranoid about sun exposure. Paranoid.

Anyway, we made it.

We did all sorts of novel farm-like activities. We weighed Scout on the hog scale (14 pounds, give or take). And she posed in front of the biggest boar.

I was finally convinced that the leg warmers, while protecting her legs from UV rays, were roasting her.

We invested a lot of time watching a laboring cow in the Animal Learning Center. And just as we were giving up and leaving her, she decided to have her calf right in front of us (with some veterinary intervention).  The ten year olds were not grossed out in the least, and were absolutely amazed.

As a side note, the Animal Learning Center is air conditioned, has bathrooms, and a baby area with rocking chairs for feeding and clean changing areas.

We bypassed the line at the butter cow, and snuck a peak from the other direction.

While I was caught in a rather unflattering pose, Scout was unimpressed.

My dad impressed Scout with some ginormous pumpkins.

Other than that, we saw some animals, some flowers, lots of bizarre people, and ate some food on a stick.  Next year, maybe she'll be ready for the big slide.