Train hopping

Today we went on a field trip with my son's preschool class. The trip involved riding the train up north for 20 mins then walking to a park to play and have lunch and then return home on the train. Both my boys were so excited especially my oldest. He could not wait to leave the house to head for the train station. As soon as we arrived at the station a large double deck train flew on by. It scared my oldest. Actually it was a little frighening for me too. Boy do those trains fly...this one wasn't stopping at our station so it came and went and it was fast. It took a little while to get him to move closer to the platform as he preferred to wait it out behind the ticket machine. Once the class was assembled and our train arrived we had to be quick about getting on. Carrying my toddler, dragging my umbrella stroller, wearing a backpack and trying to help my older boy on the train...and quickly...wow...that was some feat!! Once on...my older son headed up the narrowest circular steps to the top level. He was following a classmate. Amazingly with the train moving and not realizing I could stow my stroller down below...still carrying my toddler I went up the stairs with umbrella stoller in tow. My Macclaren rocks. Who knew a stroller could be carried in such tight spaces. Both boys enjoyed looking out the train and watching the world fly by. I too could get use to the commuter life of a train passenger. As long as it didn't involve 20 preschool age children and their younger siblings too. No resting allowed. All the kids had a great time. We got off and went to see a puppet show at a grocery store...yes a grocery store. The battery operated veggies, cow and grocer put on a singing show with the push of a button. The children were in awe and we watched it twice. Off to the park for a leisurely day of lunch and play and then by 1:06pm we were in line at the station waiting for the train. My preschooler is so funny...the train is all he talked about, in awe really. But as soon as we were back at the station he stood behind the garbage can. All the other parents were trying to impress upon their young children the danger of crossing the yellow line on the platform and I was worried when time came I wouldn't be able to get mine over that yellow line. However when the train arrived and holding tightly to my hand we boarded the train all the while my younger child was making very realistic but very loud choo choo whistles in my ear. My preschooler loved riding the train..but as he mentioned on the way home he didn't like the outside of the train..it was too loud and too big. It was a fun day...a tiring day with all the sun and the exitement..but a fun day. We will have to do that trip again...maybe next time we will bring daddy.

Pictures Anyone??

Today my oldest had picture day at preschool. Taking pictures professionally can be a real uphill battle. I love photos. I love my boys and I love to see photos of my boys. They do not always share this same feeling and thus I dread the taking of photos by professional photographers. Last year's school photo day was one of those battles. It seemed as if every child so willingly followed the photographer and her pet stuffed monkey into the garden to laugh among the daffodils. Try as she might the photographer had no such luck with my little boy who only wanted to play. And she was good too...cool as a cucumber, very reassuring that she would get his photo before the day was out. As soon as she was out of earshot, I of course not so confident would plead with my son, beg, conjole with promises of treats, a happy mommy if he would just please, please take a picture with the nice photographer lady. She worked on him every few children to see if he was ready and finally he agreed to take the photo but not in the garden amongst the daffodils he wanted to take his photo in the chicken coop. The Chicken coop?? Amongst the chicken poop?? What could I say..I just asked for him to take his photo I did not tell him where I wanted him to take the photo...oh geez. She won him over though and also got a nice smiling shot of him by the bench under the giant tree with no chicken poop in sight and that is the photo I proudly have displayed all over his school scrapbook from last year. So this year...as I roll out of bed I think how will this go today?? What will I need to promise?? We talked about how fun today was going to be at the kitchen table at dinner last night., Oh picture day, what joy, what bliss!! How special to get your picture taken to be forever remembered as this happy 3 year old at his beloved preschool. At school I wait, I try to be so confident so cool as a cucumber as I ask, "so would you like to be the first child to have your picture taken or the second?" "Maybe later," replies my son, "I'm too busy playing." Lucky for me the same photographer is back and she is able to slyly convince my son she needs his help making the other children laugh with the stuffed monkey and before I know it he is sitting in the garden taking a lovely photo and that was that. A little too easy?? Thankfully today it was.