Day 38  As soon as Hayden's friend arrived yesterday afternoon, they went and got out the boxes of all Hayden's old Thomas the Tank Engine trains and tracks.  I was surprised on two accounts: the first being that both boys had talked on the phone earlier and discussed playing 'Spies' when they got together (their favourite game that they usually play at school); and the second and main reason being that at 6, nearly 7, Hayden rarely plays with the trains anymore, and often clearly states that he's too old for them now!

Well, yesterday the boys played with them for the entire afternoon, creating scenarios and 'train families' between them.  And with the tracks still out, the theme has continued today.  Austin thinks it is all fantastic of course (a definitely bonus of having an older brother who collected everything 'Thomas' for years!) and it was the first thing he did when he got up this morning.  Hayden has been happily joining in throughout the day as well.  And it's interesting watching how he plays with them now, which is so different from a couple of years ago when he was a mad 'Thomas' fan!

I love watching Austin discover the trains, how he doesn't really care what two carriages, trains or otherwise he has joined together to pull around.  And I love even more how childhood innocence still allows Hayden to forget for a while that he's too big to play with 'little kids toys' and he can lose himself back in the world of Sodor - for a day or two at least.  

I guess I'll be playing Thomas for a few more years to come yet!