A Day Out With Thomas

There comes an age when your child begins showing strong preferences, and you have no idea what he will choose as the inexplicable objects of his love and devotion.  When Oliver came to this point, it became all about trains, or "choo choos" as he would say.  I could show Ollie 20 different cool, engaging, fascinating toys, but forget about it if a train was in sight!  It was confounding to me (really trains!?!?) but the genetic programming that creates this attachment to trains in little boys was too strong; there was nothing I could do to fight it.  As time went on, Oliver became aware that Thomas is king in the world of trains and that cheeky little licensed character gained another devoted worshiper. This is where I have to thank Ollie's cousins Chris and Alex (and especially their parents Jill and Franco) for giving us their old Thomas train table, accessories, engines and cars, because they surely saved us from bankruptcy!

Saturday, May 12, 2012 was, I am pretty sure, the best day of Oliver's life so far because he got to see Thomas in person and go for a twenty-minute train ride - on Thomas!  Ollie's friend Ruth has some pretty sweet connections: a grandma who is a member at Greenfield Village, a mom who purchased tickets for us to ride on Thomas... so the date was set.

For weeks leading up to the event Ollie talked about going to see Thomas and knew that "Thomas is coming." I also think he believes that Ruth is singlehandedly responsible for this miracle. On the days leading up to it we had a countdown.  He held up his fingers showing and telling how many days until he would see Thomas....

You will notice there is not a single picture where Oliver is willing to look at the camera.  He only had eyes for Thomas!

I don't think Tony was anticipating the effect it would have on our laundry habits when he bought Oliver a bright yellow Day Out With Thomas shirt that Ollie has worn at every opportunity since the big day.  But it is so sweet to see how he loves reliving the memory of this day, in any way he can.  If you ask him about it, he will list off the thrilling highlights to you in his best narrative style with wide eyes and a voice filled with wonder, nodding his head (just keep prompting him, "What else!?" to keep him talking): "There was steam. There was track. With Ruth. All aboard! There was steam. Choo choo! It goes ding, ding, ding. And Ruth. He have eyes. There was steam."

We did have to fib to Ollie and tell him that Thomas went home to the Island of Sodor so that we are not expected to bring him to visit on a daily basis.

Thank you, Ruth, for an 

amazing outing!