UPDATE IN POST 1: DS seems down. . .And where to find a real thomas train ?

[sste]

UPDATE: DS rode Thomas last week! Thanks smilequeen for the navy pier tip. We actually took the water taxi from his daycare to Thomas which was a huge hit and then DS saw Thomas and basically charged the gate! He was very happy and has talked alot about how HE rode Thomas. Of course, the next morning when I went to get DS out of bed, he said to me, "I want to ride Percy!"


So, every night 2.5 year old DS and DH take turns making up 3 stories about what DS is going to dream about that night. In these stories, DS is putting out fires on his fire engine, helping to unstick planes from the runway so he can visit relatives, being the conductor for thomas, etc. Always very upbeat.

Last night, when we were all talking about his dreams, DS changed the story each time:
1. He couldn't ride the firetruck because that is just for fireman and he is not really Fireman DS.
2. He couldn't be the conductor and ride on Thomas. You only watch thomas on TV you don't actually ride on him (grrr, dh now we know what you two did when I was gone the other night!).
3. So, we then asked about him riding the train at the zoo. He said he wanted to go in the caboose but it was filled with flamingos so he couldn't ride in it. Said with a tone of resignation as to the cruelty of the world. At that point, I took over the story, shooed the flamingos out, and put DS in and clapped and cheered as he went around the track.

This was the saddest little night-time episode. I feel like I could have called in a team of child psychiatrists and they would have a field day with this! I think DS is bummed out about the new baby coming and DH working long hours for the past few weeks.

Any suggestions to cheer him up? Did you do anything special with your first-born in the final weeks leading up to a new baby arriving?

And where is that freaking thomas train you ride on? Does it travel from city to city? I am ready to road trip . . . I can't believe my two year old already sees a world with such limits.

[swissair81]

I think there is a website that has a schedule of where Thomas is traveling next. I remember looking it up last year when Thomas was in our neighborhood.

http://events.hitentertainment.com/u...omas/index.asp

[Gena]

I agree with PP about looking ot see if there is a Day Out with Thomas event in your area.

Also, have you taken your son to visit the local fire station? DH is a volunteer firefighter in our community and every so often a family will come by to just see the trucks and the station. The firefighters love that. They let the kids sit in the trucks and give them plasctic firefighter helmets and junior firefighter badges. You don't need an appointent to stop by as a family, but you might want to call ahead just to make sure that the crew and the rigs are there and not out on a call.

A couple of times a year our fire department has a community event with different activities like spraying the hose and finding you way out of a smoke-filled room (all very controlled activities). You might want to find out if your fire departmet does something similar.

[sste]

Thank you!! The thomas isn't too far from me but unfortunately right on top of my due date . . . may be worth the risk though, I am going to look into whether ticket exchange is possible. And I didn't realize that about the firestations - - that is a great idea!

[JTsMom]

I don't know where you are, but if you ever pass through Atlanta, Six Flags here has a whole Thomas area. You can ride the train (complete with Annie and Clarabel), play on the Thomas themed playground, meet Sir Topham Hat, etc.

[sste]

That sounds great! Do you think it is nice enough to merit a trip? We could fly to Atlanta post second-baby . . . we fly alot and sometimes southwest has dirt-cheap tickets.

[pakin]

Where do you live? Six Flags in Maryland also has the "Thomas Town." Here is the link:
http://www.sixflags.com/america/rides/KidsRides.aspx

Pakin

DS 4/2001
DD 6/2005

PS. In the meantime, you can show your DS videos of people riding on "real" Thomas. YouTube has plenty of them.

[smilequeen]

If I remember right where you might live, Navy Pier has a Thomas Train to ride.

Our zoo in STL has a train and if you ask, you can usually get the back seat and say "ALL ABOARD" or you can pay to be conductor for a day. You might check and see if you can do that.

Is there a transportation museum with trains around there?

And yeah, Day Out With Thomas was a huge hit with my first son. My second isn't into trains.

[sste]

OMG, I forgot about Navy Pier!! That is brilliant. We haven't been there this summer. I am going to check that out right now and maybe we can go this weekend.

To pp, I am in the midwest *however* we fly constantly. We are planning to see friends in DC sometime in the fall. So, that would actually be easier than Atlanta for an amusement park thomas experience. DH and I are also frequently able to arrange to give talks and get outside funding for part of the travel.

I know it sounds crazy that I am ready to hop on a plane because my toddler has a depressing list of dreams but we can usually work the tickets so that it coincides with much-needed visits to friends or professional activities.

[swissair81]

Thank you!! The thomas isn't too far from me but unfortunately right on top of my due date . . . may be worth the risk though, I am going to look into whether ticket exchange is possible. And I didn't realize that about the firestations - - that is a great idea!

Yeah, my kids were waiting the whole year to see the Wiggles live in concert & they are coming to our neck of the woods a week before my due date. It's an hour from my house in the wrong direction from my hospital & I can't risk it. I told them we'd try and go in the fall when the Wiggles come to Canada.