Eissa's Birthday Celebration - Part 3

To wrap up our birthday celebration for 3-year old Eissa, we headed to 2 more places. I'll just let the pictures and videos tell the story.

The kids expressing their excitement about their surprise for Eissa's 3rd birthday. Listen closely...Grady gasps just as the recording begins. The birthday girl was stuck in the back seat, but she was also very excited. ;)

Yes, the circus!

I've only been to a circus twice. Once when I was pretty little...don't remember much about it. But, I'm sure it was fairly nice...not sure of the name of the circus company that we saw, but probably a pretty big show. The 2nd time was when we were newly married and I decided to take at least a little bit of an advantage of living in Phoenix...so many things to do there downtown...so many shows and special events pass through there. So, the first thing we did was go to the circus...Ringling Bros. SOOO impressive! Non-stop action.

I have to say, though, that I LOVED this circus. It was so very well done, but also so very old-fashioned it seemed. The literal big tent (instead of a stadium), hay on the floor, everyone in the show doing multiple things (including walking around in the crowd selling things during the intermission)...I just loved it. I fully expected Dumbo himself to walk out with the elephants. ;) It was that kind of feel.

It's so interesting to think of the way of life for these circus performers. They live in run-down small RVs (think vintage tin-can type) and travel from city to city constantly. There were at least 2 small children in the show...I just wonder what their lives are like, how many families are involved, what the atmosphere is like, etc. So interesting to me. Anyway...

On with the pictures and videos to tell you the rest of the story. It was a really great day!

The circus started later than we were told. We were going to go to Cows (what the kids call McDonald's) after the circus, but decided just to switch the two, going to Cows first. So, here we are pulling up at Cows. Again, Eissa was in the back seat, but was just as excited as everyone else about her birthday treat. Well, except Cass who was obliviously exhausted.

Cows!!
Very excitedly talking about how we were eating at 'Cows.' ;)

I have no idea who these 'characters' are, but our kids loved their little cats/dogs that they got in their Happy Meal.
Cass infatuated with ketchup, as her brother and sisters before her.
And, as is typical (in our family anyway), she didn't want the french fry to eat...just to dip it in and then suck the ketchup off of it. Lovely.



Now back to the circus.
This bench was right in front of where we parked for the circus, so we had to get a picture. Cass wasn't feeling it! ;) But, she got her 2nd wind shortly after this and was good to go the rest of the night.
On our way...woohoo.
There it is!!
About to buy tickets.
About to go through the entrance, to the big tent.
The entrance to the big tent. LOVE Eissa here.

Waiting excitedly.
Under the big tent.
Waiting for the circus to start. I know the video is dark, but it's still cute and worth posting.
A little dancing before the circus began.




And the circus begins!


I just love it when they put their little hands on your leg like this. ;)
From my perspective. Ahhh...love that.
Loving the show.
They were pretty quick with their transitions between acts, but Hadley wanted a little 2 second hair-rubbing at one point.
All muscle I tell you. I totally missed filming her do the really impressive stuff, but it was good.


Again, all muscle...and she did some really impressive things (way more than this)...I just didn't get it on camera.
This was pretty impressive. I just assumed that this was a father and son team (although I have no proof of that). SO strong though. And the boy couldn't have been any older than 10 years old. Very interesting life they must have.
The camels were only escorted through, but they had lots of dances and such like this. It was a really great show. Also, about the camels, every time we passed by on this street, we'd see the camels out roaming in the grass, eating. So, that was fun too...seeing them other than in the circus. ;)
This was their version of a Bellagio-type musical fountain (in Las Vegas), right there in the stage. I was impressed.
Hadley playing in a game onstage.

Look at that intensity! ;) Love it.
This girl is NOT shy. Oh my gosh...she cracks us up. The man asked for 3 girls and 3 boys. He was in the middle of picking them out of the crowd. Once some started going down, Hadley just took off. I think that maybe he'd picked one of the 2 girls he'd already picked and Hadley thought he was pointing at her. Anyway, I wish we'd gotten this on tape, but when she got down there and he was about to point out another girl, he counted the girls and you could see the wheels turning and his thoughts of 'where did she come from?' But, he went with it and there she was...playing the game. I don't think that she knew exactly what was going on. Have we ever even played musical chairs...I don't think so. She told me that she was trying to run as fast as she could. ;) But, add on to that someone screaming in a microphone and in a language that you aren't completely fluent in, and it can be confusing. I remember going on stage for different things growing up and not being able to understand the man/woman through the sound system at all...and that was in my first language (and only at the time) of English. :) Anyway, I so enjoy this little bold girl. Hilarious.
Did you see it? She was going for the chair and he yelled at her, stopping her dead in her tracks. ;) Poor thing. I wondered if she'd be upset. This video shows Hadley being escorted out of the spotlight. I was down there to meet her and she was far from upset. She was beaming. ;) Of course I was smiling and saying "that was awesome" when she met me. But, she just LOVES the spotlight, that kid. Even just a moment in it, no matter the circumstances...she beams. So, so funny!!
This was the dance that led up to the elephants coming in.
The elephants making their entrance.
Elephants.
Elephants' tricks.
Motorcycles.
I was impressed with this...3 motorcyles riding around in that sphere. But...look at the next video after you see this.
They added 3 more motorcycles to the cage...total of 6! I was impressed.
The bow.

Taken in front of the exciting bright lights of the circus. The birthday girl is officially worn out. ;)
Thank you, Portugal Circus. What a great way to end the day.

Happy Birthday again, Eissa! Love you, fun girl!