Canadian Pacific Holiday Train 2013

 


     

The Canadian Pacific Holiday train rolled into Beaconsfield last night, so we made the 30 minute drive out to see it. We got there just in time and it started to snow a bit. Melanie Doane played a little concert of Christmas songs. The Little Man has converted us into train lovers :)

What Is It About Trains Anyway?

Little Man playing with his new train set

Three people gifted the Little Man train sets for his birthday. Of course! Why not? They all know him so well. He loves trains and we have no problem with this.

Maybe he will be a train engineer, or maybe a train mechanic. Who knows? But we know this man loves his trains!

I used to watch Thomas and Friends as a kid also. I grew up with the ones narrated by Ringo Starr. I liked the stories, but I don't think I liked them for quite the same reasons. I like all the detail in the models and scenery. Looking at all those tiny replicated villages, with tiny cars and tiny people going about their day. I love the amount of detail enthusiasts put into that stuff.

It's also no surprise that many, many Autistic people like trains, so I finally asked my son what exactly is it about them that is so fascinating?

The Little Man told me they are strong. Yes, they are!

Then he also told me they are fast, and he made his visual stim motion where he moves his hands or a train in front of his eyes, closely and quickly. Ah ha! That visual of fast trains speeding by in front of you, which makes me dizzy trying to keep up, that's what he loves.

Then I remembered my childhood and how I used to hyperfocus on the smallest of things. I used to watch ants (my special interest was entomology) and observe closely. I could see their little antennae and eyes. And I realize now that detail is my visual stim. I've always had an eye for detail - still do - which is probably why I love editing. Then I realized how lucky I am to be in a job that stimulates exactly what I need and like. How's that for an interesting train of thought?

Exporail Train Museum

Since the Little Man still loves trains (but Angry Birds come second) we try to take him to Canada's Largest Train Museum a few times a year. Unfortunately, the location of our new house means we're much further away than we used to be and it took me a good hour to drive there and another hour back.

Nevertheless, it's worth it to get there and see the wonder in his eyes when he sees the giant steam engines right in front of him:

It was a special mama-only day treat and I let him run around freely to look at whichever trains he wanted.

Little Man at the controls of a big train!

After riding the old trolley twice and giving the driver a dollar, we rode the mini train twice also! This was hard on mama's bum, but fun! 

He sure was excited to see it! 

He was extra spoiled today because I bought him a new train at the gift shop before leaving. We can never have enough trains here! 

Alone Too Long

Alternate title: Come Take A Ride on The Sh*T Train


WARNING: Post contains graphic pics, but it's probably nothing any parent hasn't seen before.

Call us bad parents, but my hubby and I hesitated in teaching the boy how to pull down his pants because we knew it could would lead to one of those awkward moments where he takes his clothes off in public or paints the house in poo. But you can't keep them in diapers forever. That would seriously make dating difficult. So we taught him and keeping positive, I'm proud to see he learned very quickly.

Now normally he's been very good and signing and alerting me when he needs to do a number 2 and we run to the bathroom. He did not do that yesterday.

Now I take full responsibility since I should not have gotten sucked into the black hole that is the Internet and I should have been keeping a closer eye on him. But The Wiggles were on and I still heard noises from him - you know it's only REALLY bad when they go completely quiet. Either that or they've passed out on the floor. I mean in terms of the amount of trouble they get into. All the best trouble is done in complete concentration and silence.

So I'm in the kitchen on the computer and I smell something. It does not smell right. It does not smell good. I follow the smell to the living room where I see pants and a diaper strewn off. The odor is horrendous. I see poo pellets. I say, "oh no!" and my son smiles, holds up his poo hands and starts laughing. He gets up to come closer to me. "Oh no no no, don't come near me with those hands! Don't touch anything!" I run for the camera because I know one day this will be comedy gold for a potential high school date night where I embarrass him horribly.

I shoved him in the bath (yes, I did eventually have to touch him).

That poor black train. He took it and ran it through his poo so many times, well let's just say he gave new meaning to "pulling a load." The train could take no more. Even the strongest stomached person should not attempt cleaning out all the nooks and crannies of that thing. It's electronic, or at least it was - in a former happy life where it could chug away, light up and choo-choo in a poo-free fashion. Now those days are gone and I had to trash it.

I am also grateful for those washable playmats, because if poo had gotten squished into the cracks of my hardwood floors, I think I would have died.

The lingering poo smell has left us, but the memory of that day will always live on as a reminder to pay better attention to what the kids are up to. May it be so for you also! :)