The RB and B & B Circus

They advertise themselves as The Greatest Show on Earth: the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. According to Wiki, "It currently is the largest and most successful of the remaining American circuses, performing continuously since 1871." And yes, it has three rings.








A week ago we took Nicholas (and Amy), as we had two years ago when he was 3. We knew this year would be more spectacular for him at age 5-1/2. More engaged, of course, and in total awe. That look on his face was worth every minute. I didn't see my first circus until high school. So taking him early was important to me.






Everything about this circus is fun and hilarious if it has anything at all to do with Bello, "America's best clown," according to Time magazine. Kinda hard not to laugh at anyone with that kind of "do." I sat there for a long time trying to figure out what he has to put in it to keep it in that shape no matter what acrobatic stunts he does. That's a LOT of hair taffy! No wonder he lives on the edge, he says, 20 times a show.







You know, even the simplest of stunts are amazing. I remember my hula-hoop days when it was easy to keep ONE spinning around my hips for what seemed like forever. But 20 or 30 of them at a time spinning everywhere at once? A big blur! A big full-of-color blur! It doesn't take much to make me happy.

Actually, as far as I'm concerned, this is NOT the greatest show on earth. For me, Canada's Cirque du Soleil is, which is kinda a circus without animals. But the acrobatic parts of this circus remind me of that and why children of all ages are in awe. How people can make their bodies do those incredible feats is beyond me.

Still, it's the animals that make the circus the circus, even though I always wonder if they're having as much fun as we are! It's like I need a disclaimer somewhere that says no animals were hurt or harmed in any way during this production. Surely not!

After the show, we asked Nicholas what his favorite thing was. He immediately said his sword (the toy he chose--you need to understand that Donica is the "sugar g'ma!"). But when we clarified what we meant, he said, "The people on the trapeze." Well, guess what! Of everything I took pictures of, there was not a single photo of THEM! I must have been too mesmerized to even think about it. However, this wee tightrope act near us was at least a step in the right direction. (Okay, close but no cigar.)

Speaking of Cirque du Soleil, Donica just bought us tickets for their "Delirium" show here in Atlanta in April. I can hardly wait till Nicholas is old enough for that. Maybe sooner than we think!?! But for now, here's my circus album of a wonderful evening with RB and B&B. The last two photos are of two tired babies (Nicholas and moi) after a great night of awe.