A "Day out with Thomas"

Well, today was a big day for Talia. Grandma, Grandpa, Mommy and Daddy all took her to the railroad museum for a "Day out with Thomas." We left Piper with Shane's mom so that the day could belong just to Talia alone. She had everyone's full attention, and we were surrounded by her favorite things in the whole wide world...Trains, Trains and more Trains. After some serious clingy-ness over the last few weeks, we felt some "just her" time would possibly help alleviate her insecurity.

We took her out to lunch and then we headed off to the museum. After a short bus ride, with Thomas t.v. show included, we arrived at the museum. We picked up our tickets, got our pictures taken with Thomas the train and then jumped on to ride the Thomas train. To say Talia was excited would be to put it mildly, although to the naked, untrained eye it would not have appeared to be the case. Our daughter, who talked of nothing else all week, suddenly got very serious and followed every rule the conductor announced over the loud speaker...including telling Mommy she was supposed to sit down and not take picutres while the train was in motion. Her actual words were, "No mommy, sit, the man said." But, in Talia's world paying that close attention is the measurement of her excitement. When the train ride was over and we disembarked she broke into excited chatter, repeating, "Mommy, Daddy, Grandpa, Grandma....I love you" and "Thanks Mommy...for MY train" over and over again. We then went to a sing along, got a temporary tatoo on her arm, took more pictures of Thomas, watched the model trains, climbed in the full-sized ones, bought souveniers and climbed back onto the bus in a state of sheer exhaustion. All in all, though, it was a perfect day. Talia was in heaven, and I had more fun than I thought possible at a train museum. Assuming she is still into it, we may even do it again next year. So, now I am off to bed to dream of the big, glowing smiles from my daughter made possible by a big, blue steam engine.