Because I really needed to see this smile today.

The weather got wonderfully cool last week, enough so that we were able to break out our fall clothes for a few days.

And then we also had a few days where the weather was genuinely cold, which of course just happened to fall on the day we went to the state fair.

I forgot my camera, so I only managed to get two pictures with my iPhone. I think Catie is still a little young for the fair. She doesn’t like the crowds (although having the stroller helped; it seemed to give her a sense of personal space), and my cautious girl was too scared to try any of the toddler rides. We only barely managed to talk her into the merry-go-round, but she still wanted to sit on the bench rather than on a horse.

But, just like last year, she loved the petting zoo and feeding the carrot slices to the baby goats and alpacas. And we got her a trumpet from one of those little overpriced toy stands. She adores it.

Her other new favorite toy is this tutu that my sister sent her in the mail. It has a button on the waistband that plays “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.” And yes, that does get old just as fast as you would imagine.

But, you know, it’s also really freaking adorable, so I can ignore the tinny electronic Nutcracker theme for now.