May 23, 2004 - Sunday
These trains haven't been out all that much lately. Harry's long interest in them started to wane shortly after his last birthday and it was one of those things that was somehow a little sad. First of all, he'd wanted Cranky the Crane for months and when this Cranky set came out I had been so pleased that we could finally get it for his birthday. Yet, while he seemed enthusiastic at the time, it was clear that the trains weren't holding his interest as long and it wasn't long before play became unfocused and awkward. It's nice that he's growing up and that his horizons are expanding, but these trains have been such a staple for his entertainment and fascination, and thus so much a part of who he's been, that it's a little sad to let that go.

Now, the trains are back and it's Jeremy who's discovering getting more dexterous and excited about them. Of course, that's renewed Harry's interest, and they do generally play together well with the trains, save mild arguments about needed all the cars to make "long trains," long trains that never stay together anyway because the coupling magnets aren't strong enough to pull more than five or six cars at a time. But, it's definitely Jeremy who's the leader now with the trains and the one who's most interested. And, he talks an often indecipherable blue streak about what's going on when he's moving them around.


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