Golden Pig Tales

Today was a great day for family fun. It began with breakfast and continued on to the day’s event: Going to the Columbia Gorge Model Railroad Club.

If buying him wooden train track for his birthday wasn’t enough to make him a train geek then introducing him to the model trains at the Columbia Gorge Model Railroad Club could bring him closer to train geekdom.

Ezra had a great time looking at the many small houses, tunnels, bridges, lights, trains, trees, people, cars and trucks moving, tooting and shining. There were classic model trains of many types rolling around tracks and through tunnels. There was a small LEGO train set near the snack bar. After an hour we left, but the enthusiasm for trains continued. Because while playing trucks with Ezra, he lined up trucks, cars, teddy bears, books as a train. Ezra had me sit at the front of the line while he sat at the back of the line. I made train toots while Ezra said loud, ,,I’m driving! I’m driving!”

Ezra now some times says, ,,Yeah,” instead of, ”Yes,”  which too me is cute and adorable and fun to hear when Ezra says it.

Ezra lead Grandma O, -v- and me during a session of playing with cars. Ezra lead the way first as the LEGO firetruck then as the front loader after -v- didn’t want to play with the front-loader anymore for she wanted to be the monster truck Snakebite. -v- playing with Snakebite didn’t last long because she wanted to run over everyone else as Grandma O drove the safari truck, Ezra drove the LEGO  firetruck and I drove the tow truck around the dinning room table, so Ezra took Snakebite away from -v- and had her play with the LEGO firetruck. Ezra then parked Snakebite for the night and played the front loader as I continued to be the tow truck as we drove around and around the table.

I hate standing in line, but standing in line for forty minutes for a hayride to a pumpkin patch with Ezra is worth the wait. I actually didn’t mind standing because I knew he would enjoy the hayride because ever since the hayride last week he has wanted another hayride.

This hayride was long, muddy and bumpy, and Ezra smiled the whole way to the pumpkin patch and from the pumpkin patch with our pumpkins. We got two. One with warts all over and one that is smooth and near round.

We took our pumpkins and a hayride back to the barns and sheds and shops with Ezra smiling and already asking for another hayride. We then looked at ducks, goats, rabbits and a lama, and he asked for another hayride; then we shared fry bread, corn-on-the-cob and a hamburger, and he asked for another hayride; then Ezra selected, and we bought a small pumpkin and a gourd that looked like a used candle, and he asked for another hayride, but the day was late and his passion not that great and the wait would have been an hour or more, so instead of a hayride he got a car ride home, which induced a nap and a few more calls for another hayride.

Ezra got some cloths from Grandma O today. Ezra wanted to wear them all as we pulled them from box. The fire engine shirts, the Lighting McQueen (of the movie Cars) pajamas and shirts. He could barely wait for the cloths to be washed. But he did wait, and we reminded him when he didn’t want to take a bath that he could put on one of the new shirts after the bath, so then he was happy to take a bath. And then after the bath Ezra was excited to wear the shirts. It did take us putting on and taking off three shirts until he calmed down for the one he wore tonight for sleep and the one he will likely be wearing tomorrow for playcare. The shirt has fire trucks.

No pre-school for Ezra, so I remained home with him, and we had a great time. He and I made a train track. We read books. We strolled to the fire station. We shared a muffin. We played at the park. We looked at pictures. Then after his nap we created a town with all his various blocks, cars, trucks, trains, container and toys. After we had been playing with cars in the town for awhile, Ezra decided he needed to go to work, so he picked up his mini-lunch pale and pack full of toys then said, ,,Daddy, kiss,” as he stepped to me navigating his snot covered lips to mine. As I stared at his snot covered lips, I felt loved because he’s never gave me the soft peck kiss of affection that he has given to -v-. I was happy to kiss his snotty lips as he walked off to work, which was over by the windows in the main living area. I’m not sure what he does for work. 

…It was a tiring time with Ezra, but it was a great time. By the end of the day, he was calling out for, ”Daddy, daddy,” then running to hug me.

The word Whaus is slowly being removed from Ezra lexicon after hours, days, weeks of saying, ,,What’s this?” when he says, ,,Whaus.” As proof, for the last few days, I have heard him say, ”What’s this?”and not, ”Whaus?” when want to know an object. WHOO HOO!

No more sleeping in bed at the Stoney Creek cabin with Valerie for Ezra. No more cows, horses, tractors, buggies and open field everywhere for Ezra to point at and say, ,,Cows, horses, tractors, buggies…” Ezra seems happy to be home.

Ezra has demonstrated again he can sing his ABCs without help or urging for him to sing his ABCs. YAY! …Next up: NUMBERS!

Ezra and I made a picture frame decoration for daddy for his birthday today! I tried to get Ezra to sing happy birthday, but he wouldn’t. He did at least acknowledge that it was daddy’s birthday, which is more than he would actually do for himself.

Happy Birthday Daddy! We love you!

The sleep slept away our fussiness from last night. And Ezra called for me at the top of the stairs to walk up the stairs to walk with him down. Then he and I played with trains and built a track while he ate the waffle I warmed for him. He spoke a few more words I have never heard him speak.  He didn’t fuss or say, ,,No, daddy.”

Ezra continues to show signs of grandparent withdrawls after a long weekend with grandpa grandma. He continues to ask where grandpa grandma go. He wanted to dig outside before playcare like he dug when at grandpa grandma’s. He’s been talking about the weekend with object long sentences like, ,,Airplane, dinosaur, rocks, motor cycle, truck, airplanes, dog, grandpa grandma’s house.” He’s happy to be home, but misses grandpa grandma.

…At least that’s what -v- said Ezra said while I played Futsal, and Ezra watched.

Ezra calls Futsal Daddy Soccer when ever I go play or we stroll by the Futsal building. And tonight he got to watch. And after playing Futsal, Ezra gave a team mate a high-five. He said, ,,Daddy Soccer.” And it made it feel like we won though we lost.

I believe there are more than five different metaphors that could be written how a toy train set linked and built a bridge and track to guide a train to deliver a father and son relationship.

The train set for Ezra’s birthday has been a great gift. For a train fan, Ezra likes the train set. As a father, I love having Ezra come get me every time he needs a new bridge or needs help building the track. Yes, we have built a bridge with the train set. I have even mended the bridge and our friendship after we have been fussy because of something else. We have helped guide the train around the track. Ezra has even showed me how to build a better bridge by placing two and not just one of the wooden risers under the joint connecting the tracks of the bridge. And now I will be getting a few more few more pieces of train track for my birthday.

Ezra’s birthday was awesome!  We had fun at the park after eating the birthday doughnut Then we opened some presents (super awesome monster truck from Grampa O and a great train set from dad)! Then we went to Oaks Park and rode the train, saw some boats, ate fair food, rode the carousel, went to dinner, came home, ate cake and ice cream, played with the great new presents, had a huuuuuuuuuge poop, and then read a new book and went to bed. What a great great birthday! And tomorrow will be full of more fun, friends, and food. yay! 

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

We’ve been running around the house. We went to the park. Ezra got a birthday doughnut for brunch.

Presents have been arriving though none have been opened yet.

The day is early. There is more to do. After his nap we will be off to Oaks Park.

EZRA IS TWOOOOOOOOOOOO!