Boys and Trains

Two great events took place at the greater Philadelphia expo center this past weekend.  On Saturday, I took the boys to see an enormous model train convention. I've never seen anything like it.  And neither had the boys who were completely mesmerized.  Having been to a model train store before and knowing that the model trains tend to be set on platforms higher than child-size, I had what might have been one of my greatest parenting ideas to-date.  I knew I wouldn't have the free hands to pick up both boys to see everything so, as silly as I thought it might look, I brought along a step stool.  See the first picture below:

It couldn't have worked out more perfectly.  Evan was content to carry it from place to place and I probably had 25+ parents comment to me about what a good idea it was.  Here they are checking out two trains passing right in front of them - real steam and all:

They had a real Thomas train that the kids could ride on.  Not too surprising but Evan wouldn't ride on it.  Eric, though, was happy to ride.  And even cried when the ride was over.

They had a children's train area with probably 6 train tables set up for playing:

And Thomas was all over this place - every size you could imagine.  You can see how that stepstool made all of the difference in what Evan was and was not able to see.  

I wish I could have taken more pictures but, with two little boys by myself, I was lucky to make it out of there with both of them at my side.  I didn't even attempt to bring my camera as I knew I wouldn't be able to manage it all.   I just wish this convention came to town every year, though it is more like every 5-10 years.  Evan is already asking if we can go back to the big train store.  He's got a LONG time to wait!