Daisy's first pony ride (and other adventures)

This weekend Mum and I took Daisy to the Gold Country Fair in Auburn, where Hubby grew up. Unfortunately, Hubby was working and not available for the outing, so we braved the sweltering heat alone.

On this particular visit, I had been preppy Ms. Daisy for her first pony ride. We had been talking about it all morning.

Things started off well as she eagerly pointed at the ponies trotting in a circle with kids riding stoically on them. "Daisy! Try!" she said, with her characteristic bob of her head, to punctuate her words - a gesture that demonstrates how emphatic she is. (Nothing like her mother. Nothing.)

Then, as we popped her on her pony, Shorty's, back, she lost her nerve and leaned-out for mummy, who was having none of that chickening-out crap. I stuffed the binky in her about-to-scream-bloody-murder mouth and off we toodled, equally as stoic as the kids that went before us. Well, Daisy was. Meanwhile, I tried to compensate, as you can see.







Then it was time for the "official" picture, taken by the folks who run the pony-go-round, as I like to call it. In front of us was a little girl probably 10 or 11 months old and, as her momma stepped away, she looked right at the camera and gave the photographer a big smile. I did all the peer-pressure crap with Daisy, pointing at the delightful little girl but, as soon as I whipped the god-forsaken binky out of her mouth and stepped away, this happened:



Which, as it turns out, is a darn site funnier and more memorable than if she did smile. Hence, we forked-out the $15 for the pic anyway. If nothing else, it will be a great torture device later in her life. I seem to remember my parents consistently dragging out the picture of me, age 3-or-so, throwing a tantrum in a picture with a monkey at the seaside. I'll have to find that and post it. It's just as classic.

Other adventures included a puppet show, which we couldn't sit still for...



...visiting turkeys, bunnies, pigs, and cows. During our time with the latter, we met the following fun folks

A cute calf


A prize-winning cow with a sad name (which we didn't explain to Daisy)


and a cow whose name didn't match our view


Then, before we left, we couldn't resist buying Daisy one of these



She got the little pink one...



... which she promptly brought home and attempted to smash against the tile floor as if she was the lead guitarist in rock band.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention our hair-raising ride on the carousel. Again, Daisy did the "Daisy! Try!" thing (which I'm going to have to spend more time evaluating from an adult perspective in the future) and so Mum bought some tickets and I took her on. I sat her on the horsie and she was doing great, holding onto the golden pole like a big girl, while I stood beside her (there were no restraints, so they wouldn't let you ride with her - I know, red flag!) then the carousel started to move and pick-up speed and she wigged out. And quite rightly, I might add - the darn thing was moving at warp speed. Somehow, I managed to avoid her launching herself off the rising-and-falling horse, half-holding her for the duration of the ride, and without flying off myself. It was quite hairy, I can tell you, and I'm no chicken when it comes to fair rides. I guess it's a bit different when it's not just your own life you're worried about!