Friday, January 23, 2009

It's Time Agaaaaaaain!

I KNOW you've all been wondering when we're going to post pictures from this year's National Western Stock Show, so here they are!

I must first say that the stock show (as well as a whole lot of other things) is like, a million times more fun with a kid. See something you think is cool but don't want to look lame taking a picture of it by yourself? Just plop your baby down on it and voila! Best photo-op EVER. Observe:



We pretty much made a bee-line for the gigantic long-horned bull/steer (? I didn't check) to get a picture with Azalea riding on top. After wrenching Azalea's fingers out of her mouth, we were able to eek a few moments of smiles out of her.


My parents will attest to the fact that when I was a little kid there would have been no way in crap I would have gotten on top of that steer. I don't care how many other kids were doing it...I would have been too scared. And don't be fooled by my seeming nonchalance while atop this beast. There was a brief moment when Nate and I were deciding who would get up there with Azalea when I thought, "no! I'm too scared." But I'm a grown up now and I know that sometimes you have to work through the fear to get a good picture of your kid. See how motherhood has made me so self-sacrificing?


Next stop: Petting Zoo sans ice cream cone full of food for the animals. We were pretty positive that either Azalea would eat the food before the animals could get to it, or one of the animals would bite her entire hand off when trying to get the food from her (herbivore or not man). Okay, I'll shut up for a minute so you can look at pictures.


Hey look, a kid and a kid. HA!


You know how much I adore goats, right?

Azalea was curious as to whether or not this thing's mama was a llama.

Nate had to hold both of Azalea's hands all the time to keep her from sucking on her fingers after petting the animals.

We spotted this donkey in the corner but he seemed to be pretty engrossed in eating so we didn't think it would be wise to disturb him.

Then we moved on to look at the less-fun but very cute bunnies. Azalea thought it was stupid that people are supposed to keep their fingers out of the cage, especially since her fingers were the perfect size to fit inside.


Oh yeah, and then I took this picture to document the fact that my child has completely stopped looking anything like me and now looks 100% like her father.


And then I took these pictures to document this momentous occasion... That's right, Azalea's CLAPPIN' SUCKAZ!



And of course the stock show experience would not be complete without Azalea eating an entire brisket platter by herself. She said it was "no Pat Hendrix barbecue, but good nonetheless."

***I would like to take this opportunity to give my family in Idaho a shout-out to tell them that we missed them all this year. The hall of education just isn't as fun without you Aunt Kathy. Also, to those of you who have never come to visit us during the stock show (I'm pretty much just talking to you Chad and Lisa)...LAME.***

5 comments:

eaumaison said...

GAAAHHH! You're kiddo is so freakin' cute I want to nom on her all day. Seriously. The one with the goat. I could look at that all day.

Serin said...

I've never been to the stock show, but that looks way fun!

Brock and Kristina said...

Hey Mandy!! So little girls that don't have any hair and look like their dad are A.W.E.S.O.M.E. Taylee didn't have hair forever. Thanks for the laughs.
Kristina

Jaime said...

FUN! It is soooo true that everything is more fun with a kid. Just this week we went to the pet/aquarium store (shopping for Ty's bday) and Ashtyn got to touch a rabbit and a cat and she's still "talking" about it days later. she makes all these motions and words and sound effects to tell us this whole story about how she got to touch them and how they were drinking water and eating food. Also, she got to see sharks, which she thinks is hands down the coolest thing that has ever happened to her (well, maybe the snow plow out front...). Anyway, yes, it is so fun to have a kid to be excited about EVERYTHING.

noisy penguin said...

She still looks like you and Nina to me. Of course, I'm terrible at telling who babies look like. Will doesn't look like either one of us to me.