Over the past 2 1/2 years my house has become home to many of Luke's loves. He has a tendency to get into a thing and from there it becomes almost an infatuation.
It started when he was 18 months old. I remember the day well. I went with my friend, Tara, and her son to the mall where we stopped into the "Thomas" store. At the time Dane really liked trains and insisted we visit, I was happy to oblige. Upon walking in a saw Luke's eyes light up. He jumped out of the stroller and over to the little train table that was set up with tracks and trains. There he played for over 20 minutes, until I pulled him away for the second time. The first attempt was anything but smooth. He yelled and screamed for more "choo-choo" I loosened my grasp and let him continue for a bit longer. I knew the only way to get him back in his stroller so I began my search. The success back to the seat was all due to the beginning of many random mall trips, bribes, Christmas and Birthday gifts. I pulled out from a cheep plastic bag a "D199" and a "Arthur". It was the best trip to the mall I have ever had.
Thomas and friends kept Luke busy for hours on end. Most of the things out of his mouth were somehow related to trains and engines. All coloring books became "Thomas" coloring books, we sought out deals on tracks and tunnels, Luke had memorized more train names then I ever knew possible. And we had suddenly become very aware of our foot-placing due to the many new small items all over our floors.
It was bitter-sweet when the infatuation started to die down 6 months ago. I now have turned the train table top over to the white side, rather then the city scape. I have a huge plastic bin filled with all the trains and tracks a little boy (or girl) could ever want and the names of trains are starting to escape my memory.
However, we now have a new set of names and faces to learn. Star Wars has started the invasion into my home now. Light sabers and tiny figurines took the place of the trains in my trundle drawers in the Family Room. The new favorite underwear choice is a Jedi Knight rather then a cute little blue engine. And Luke's lip's utter sounds of shooting guns rather than the sweet "choo-choo" I heard everyday for years.
I welcome the new challenge of learning all about this "all boy" world that began in a Galaxy far... far away. And has seemed to land here;on Sugarloaf St.... in the present.
4 comments:
I'm sure I'll be there too one day! We haven't had the Thomas train thing just yet but I know we will. It's EVERYWHERE!
OK Emma has been obsessed with horses since she started talking. I thought it would die down as well over the years, but she's almost 5 and the horse love is still going strong. She can explain the differences between a shire, clydsdale and mustang. She also knows all the colors... dapple grey, palamino, chesnut. She can explain to me the parts and markings of a horse...Seriously- I've never been TAUGHT something by a 4 year old but she already knows WAY more about horses than I EVER will. I am amazed at how children get so fascinated with something. You think they always grow out of it- but my boyfriend has been obsessed with planes since he was 6- and now he's a pilot. Maybe Luke will be an astronaut one day! haha
my whole world is polly's, ponies, and barbies. I'm looking forward to a little star wars!
loved the post, very cute...
Jill, there's more than one good writer in the family. You really know how to spin your words to make your reader feel your emotions. I remember when Dave and Mark were into Star Wars--they too were obsessed but they were maybe 7 and 10. We had every kind of space ship that was in the movie and the lazer guns and all the figures. I preferred that to guns that looked real. I have a hard time crossing over thinking of Luke with Star Wars stuff and not the little Thomas things. He's growing up too fast. Slow him down till I get home--Okay.
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