Colter begins fourth grade today. Yesterday, we met his teacher at the open house, dropped off his notebooks and other supplies at his desk, ran into a few friends buying T-shirts, and then he became subconsciously nostalgic for his "younger years."
At least, that's how I'm choosing to intrepret his sudden onset re-interest in trains.
First, he wanted to watch "Thomas and the Magic Railroad." As soon as I heard that tinny music and saw those bizzare trains that aspire to be "really useful," I remembered Colter's obsessive interest in them. For about two years, we played trains, watched train videos, and read books about trains, especially Thomas, James, Gordon, Henry, Lady, and on and on and on. I was so grateful when he finally discovered dinosaurs.
But last night, after watching just a few scenes of the movie, I must have grown a little nostalgic too, because I reminded him that there was a time when he loved trains as much as he now loves his GameCube.
So, he got out his old Brio track and windmill and station house, and whoo-whoo! We were on the floor of his room, five years old all over again.
I've decided this two steps forward, one step back regression must be a sign of maturity. Mustn't it be?
My 3 boys are all firmly ensconced in the Thomas phase. Jackson is 6 and still asked for a Thomas cake for his latest birthday! However, even his super-cool 13-year-old cousin, Ian, plays Thomas trains with him when he visits. The packages say "ages 3-103," after all. :)
I've found the old Thomas stories -- esp. those narrated by George Carlin (post "Shining Time Station") are totally entertaining to watch. PBS has dumbed it down considerably, but the good-storytelling charm is mostly still extant, thank goodness.
Posted by: Toni | August 06, 2005 at 12:03 PM
I can't begin to tell you how many trains we have. Oh.My.God! My youngest is going to be 9 and starting 3rd grade at the end of the month..he has not played with his trains in I have no idea how long. But, the trains moved with us and now live in a box in my dungeon --ooh sorry, basement.
I can't bring myself to get rid of them because they remind me that all three of my children used to be "little". Perhaps it's me holding on to their youth, perhaps it's them...Nope, totally me.
I must add, though, that I brought the video tapes I have to my office. We have families who sit here for 4hrs a day with small children. I hear those videos OVER and OVER and OVER. I can't hear Alec Baldwin's voice anymore without picturing him as Mr. Conductor. The music makes me cringe....but, they were my children's videos and I can't bear to part with them.
Posted by: Christina | August 04, 2005 at 03:15 PM
This is definitely part of growing up and it never ends - at least from watching my own now-teenagers. There are still lots of times that drag out old toys (when they think I'm not look, naturally!) and books.
Posted by: Melanie Lynne Hauser | August 04, 2005 at 12:44 PM
I think it's great that he "remembered" his younger years and enjoyed being a little boy :)
Posted by: Melany | August 04, 2005 at 05:38 AM
I agree with you. I think the steps forward/backward are probably ingrained in us. Have you ever read the Sandra Cisneros short story called "Eleven." It's about a girl on her eleventh birthday, but she says that when you're eleven, you're also ten, nine, eight, and so on. I think of it a lot, in reference to children and to many others!
Posted by: Robin | August 03, 2005 at 03:56 PM