Under the Big Top

Friday night, John and I took Helen Grace for her second circus experience. Last time it came to town, she was about a year and a half, and she had a good time but didn’t really ‘get’ it. This year, however, was completely different. She ‘got’ it and laughed and squealed and clapped the entire time. Well, when she wasn’t climbing the stairs. Overall, a HUGE success.

We got there early for the pre-show activities and went backstage to see all the animals up close. We sat around the ring and saw all kinds of acts, and then it was time for Mama’s favorite part- the elephant act! HG and I were sitting right there on the ring when they brought him out- it was amazing- and she’s still talking about how he painted with his foot.

On our way to our seat, she spotted the inevitable spinner toy that she HAD to have. I was too eager to get one for her- such a fun childhood memory- so I forked over the $22 (can you believe it?!). Our seats couldn’t have been any more perfect…the second row up from the floor and on the end of a row. No one sat in front of us, so she could walk around and up and down those two steps to her heart’s content. She spent much of the show on her tip toes, leaning on the railing and taking it all in. She danced and clapped and cheered for almost all of the acts. Just a time or two, her attention span waned, and we pulled out my iPhone, but that was pretty short lived.

I had a serious heart attack during the Flying Cruzados’ Double Wheel of Steel performance. You know…the one that looks like two humongous hamster wheels connected by a long pole and the people start running within each wheel which makes the whole thing start rotating. When additional people jumped on and started running  on top/outside of the wheels and jumping down from the TOP of the torture contraption, I about lost it. The thought really went through my mind of, “When one of them hits the floor, how am I going to explain that to HG?” Helen Grace was oblivious, of course, and after one of my loud gasps, she turned to me and said, “Don’t freak out, Mommy.” And then proceeded to hold my hand so that “you feel safe, Mommy.”

One funny thing is that she really noticed how the entertainers would all pose at the end of their acts and then the crowd would cheer. Standing at the end of our aisle, she would wrap herself around the handrail, stick her leg out in the air, and put her arms out like ‘ta da!’ and want us to clap for her. She said she was doing ‘tricks.’ I think we are in for trouble with this little miss priss!

Around 9 or so and after the elephant trio act, we decided we better count ourselves lucky for such a successful outing and head on out ahead of the crowd. Helen Grace was none too happy about it, but we got her to the car with a sippy and Mary Poppins. She hasn’t stopped talking about her spinner, the elephants, the dogs that did tricks, or Mommy freaking out. We had so much fun! I really think it’s even more fun to experience it as a parent through the eyes of your child than it was as a child myself!

Flashback to December 2010: Helen Grace’s first circus

Back to March 2012: Circus #2 Checking out the animals backstage “Wow!!” Elephant!!! 

Here is the elephant painting his masterpiece. Dinner of champions…eating her pizza like such a little lady with her legs crossed.Trying to figure out the spinner

“Don’t freak out, Mommy!” Our neighbor, Mariella, found us! And of course, she had to get a spinner too. I’m sure her daddy will send us a bill. :) I requested the $10 cotton candy, which came with this circus cowboy hat (not sure of the connection there). Can’t go to the circus and not get cotton candy!First cotton candy experience

Such a sweet girl Daddy caught her doing one of her tricks.