Dear Peep and Peach,
I've really blown keeping up with our summer excitement. I missed documenting our entire trip to Chicago! Not even one picture. What! I'll get to that, but for now I want to cover the wonderful Bartholomew and Monroe County Fairs and the State Fair. The Thompsons are all about the summer fair. We started our fair adventures at the Bartholomew County Fair in Columbus. We had to see JD ride his horses for 4H. You can tell he adores you and showing you his horses and what he does. When he saw you were a little apprehensive next to that big powerful horse he made the horse's mouth move and talk to you. This relieved your tension and you giggled a bit. After watching JD perform we took Nash and Grandma P and Bahboo and found some chicken and sweet corn dinners.
AMAZINGLY delicious! Then we found our way through the snow cones and the ice cream cones (pineapple whip!) and the funnel cakes and it was clearly time for us to head home. Great time had by all, even Bahboo and Grandma P, who claim they don't care for the fair, enjoyed themselves.
A few weeks later in the afternoon we hit the Monroe County Fair with the twinks to check out the chickens and goats. The grounds were pretty empty so when we got to climb the tractors and invade the small performance stage you guys took full advantage. Etinne became the cab driver taking you off to your personal workshops, New York City and St. Louis. Beep Beep, it was adorable! He even picked up some seasoned cabby talk, with a wry lip and gruff voice.
A few nights later we decided to have dinner at the fair. We had been promising you rides all week and were super excited to see what you'd choose to ride, until we saw the price. Wristbands were 18 bucks each! I had read on the website that you couldn't buy tickets on wristband nights. OOps. So we distracted you from the rides by eating first. Lemon Shake Up! Sweet Corn! Hamburger! You were WAY into the sweet corn, as always... eating so quickly that the kernels were flying, you even took off your glasses to protect them from wayward juice pops.
Hazel was also very interested in the corn but having no top teeth made it impossible for her to eat. To solve both problems we had Henry eat the corn over your stroller tray and you gratefully ate the golden sweetness that fell your way. You both seemed to love the arrangement.
We LOVE to go through the barns and collect lots of pencils, free popsicles, and various other weird stuff. Sometimes there are goofy activities you get to do but I was particularly surprised at the Monroe County Fair you jumped right into the eye exam station with gusto.
Then the unavoidable happened, we had to break the news about the rides.
We walked closer to the ticket booth. And begins the real story of the fair season... We looked at the booth signs together and said, "$18 dollars! Wow, we aren't going to be able to afford getting two wristbands." So we expect that we are going to have nuclear level disappointment because it is a horrible thing to do to a sweet boy like yourself to promise rides and pull them out from under you in a split second. Daddy and I were feeling pretty bummed and pretty crummy. I tried to help talk you down but allowed you to frenzy and explode for a minute. Finally, you pulled it together. Arms to your side, clinched in fists, we offered the alternative, WE COULD PLAY SOME GAMES! You released your tension and sucked in deeply and said okay. ! I was impressed! after 3-5 minutes the whole debacle happened, was solved and moved on with. Seriously! So, we went to play your first game, Balloons and Darts. We had a negative prediction for this game but you were pumped. Happy to see you excited again, you threw your $1 dart and watched it sail steadily through the air to drop about two feet from the board into the grass. You stood there for a minute, head slung back, arms to your body with your wrists flicking out to the side as if to say, "Is that all?" Your face was a sad little grimace of complete and utter disillusionment.
We pulled you away to move on to the skee ball. This was going to do it for ya! It started out good because you saw that the game was wheelchair accessible, something you've been paying particular attention to lately. We threw a couple of rounds to no avail and decided to go to the other side of the midway to play your last game.... but what happened next was a miracle. The gods were wanting you to ride scary sick making rides as much as you did... we passed another ticket booth that allowed you to buy individual tickets! What?! I know! The night couldn't get any better!
We looked around and decided on rides and that was it! We bought some tickets and you were leaping giant gallops across the tangled, cabled grasses toward the helicopters, face all a glow with the colored lights. I could see what a big guy you were being up to that point because you could have been filled with helium the way you floated around with some tickets in your hand. You gave Daddy a big hug and said thanks.
Your chatter backed up this new elation, "Oh my gosh! This is awesome!" We were so happy, too! You are a sucker for the fun houses and little roller coasters.
We even ended up bumping into JoJo's sister and her little girl. A perfect evening. When the tickets ran out, you just said thanks so much and were the happiest little boy in the world. We topped it off with some cotton candy and you were eager to see Hazel try some. It kept sticking to her lips but she loved it, as did the concession stand ladies who stood and oooohed and aaaahed over her while she ate it.
Daddy and I were so proud of you. It was a meanie thing we had to do, but we ended up being able to do a couple of games, some rides and cotton candy for less than what it would have cost for two wristbands. Thanks for being so understanding but I am really happy we were able to keep our promise without breaking the budget. We love seeing you joyful.
Love, Mama
Dear Sweet tarts,
We had a great time checking out the Zink Berry Farm with Bahboo and Grandma P. The Zink's are a super warm and welcoming couple that invited us to see their animals and to take all the time we needed. We got to pick ourselves. You (Henry) flitted about with buckets swinging; it took a couple of reminders to keep the bucket steady so the berries didn't fly all over.
You and Bahboo took liberty with tasting and as I was picking, your grimy hand would shove into my face with a juicy half eaten berry screaming, "OH this one is GREAT! It is so awesome, you have to taste it Mommy!"
Hazel enjoyed riding on Daddy's armrest reaching out around her, smashing red goo in her fingers and licking her tart sweetie fists. 
We picked just enough blueberries to make some wonderful pancakes...Daddy's last bite was a super charged tart one that made him pucker like a fish!
After breakfast was cleaned up we worked on making two pies and a cobbler. Bahboo could hardly wait! You helped cut the strips to create the perfectly imperfect basket weave top. The timer sounded and it was time to eat! Mommy plated the bubble mess on the pretty plates Mamaw Mergie got us for our open house. It was a special occasion. I made my first pie, ever!
I will say it tasted delicious! The recipe for the cobbler pretty much tasted like it had a sugar cookie on top. Just recounting it is making me feel like I will have to go and have some more, I bet you will join me. What a nice relaxing evening.
Love, Mama
ps I loved these so much I had to post these too.
PSS Poor baby Hazel is teething HARD CORE while I type and hold you. Your second bottom tooth is working hard to stay popped out and a tooth next to the top middle is breaking through too. You don't scream! Or at least you didn't. Poor baby mamacita.Tylenol is on deck. and Henry just walked up and said, "I'm feeling sweaty hot, I think I'm getting a little sick." Doh!
Dear Hazelita!
Last night, it happened! You crawled, three little crawls, but it was movement! We've been working for months with the OT trying to teach you to be on all fours and alternate picking up your hands off the floor, to sustain staying up longer, and building strength. In one weeks time after one PT appointment and two pool visits you did it. You also said duck, duck, duck as you went after one of the little foam duck stickers Grandma P gave you. You've been sitting up and pulling to your knees in the pack and play. Saturday you were not going to go to sleep. You played and played with me on Daddy's office floor trying out the new things from PT. The next day you were a little ball of weak. Your body just melty and tired. It took a lot of energy for you to do all that moving. We went swimming Wednesday and you grew weak quickly there, but you enjoyed it. Then, today you were sitting on the floor digging through my jewelry box in front of me (using your left hand and right hand fairly equally) and I saw you quickly crawl across the floor right there! I screamed out, "Hazel crawled!" Daddy and Henry rushed into the room. This time it was four or five crawls before you crashed or opted out by sitting up. That was before big brother got involved and started cheering you on with a megaphone.
When he discarded the megaphone in the bathroom and ran down the hall you laughed and went after it...and got it!...and tried to use it like he was. You explored the different floors and seemed very satisfied with yourself.
So exciting! Henry is such a great motivator and has you laughing your head off as you come closer to him. He has been waiting to play with you more. We are all so proud of you. What a great cheer block you have.
Now only 9,999,980 more first to go! I am so honored and grateful I get to be there for them.
Love, Mama
We walked closer to the ticket booth. And begins the real story of the fair season... We looked at the booth signs together and said, "$18 dollars! Wow, we aren't going to be able to afford getting two wristbands." So we expect that we are going to have nuclear level disappointment because it is a horrible thing to do to a sweet boy like yourself to promise rides and pull them out from under you in a split second. Daddy and I were feeling pretty bummed and pretty crummy. I tried to help talk you down but allowed you to frenzy and explode for a minute. Finally, you pulled it together. Arms to your side, clinched in fists, we offered the alternative, WE COULD PLAY SOME GAMES! You released your tension and sucked in deeply and said okay. ! I was impressed! after 3-5 minutes the whole debacle happened, was solved and moved on with. Seriously! So, we went to play your first game, Balloons and Darts. We had a negative prediction for this game but you were pumped. Happy to see you excited again, you threw your $1 dart and watched it sail steadily through the air to drop about two feet from the board into the grass. You stood there for a minute, head slung back, arms to your body with your wrists flicking out to the side as if to say, "Is that all?" Your face was a sad little grimace of complete and utter disillusionment. 
Your chatter backed up this new elation, "Oh my gosh! This is awesome!" We were so happy, too! You are a sucker for the fun houses and little roller coasters. 
