A Very Busy Saturday

First off, before I forget: Happy Birthday Cooper!

The rain let up for the most part on Saturday so Zane and I (and Raz!) headed out for adventures. First stop: the dump! Ok, that part was pretty boring and stinky. Second stop: the Airport! Raz didn’t think it was all that fun, but Zane got to see a parked Jet and then sat down to watch a small airplane taxi and take off. Third stop: hardware and appliance store! I’m not sure why but as we browsed the bathtub and shower section Zane walked around saying “yes”, “Yes” and pointing and climbing. Maybe he agrees that we need a new bathroom setup?

Fourth stop: the train station! The Amtrak train would be swinging through at eleven and we had twenty minutes to kill, which I was pretty sure wouldn’t be a problem, what with other trains for Zane to browse. We even had enough time to change a poopy diaper, which he was very good about (thankfully). Finally we went to the rail platform to await the big train. There was a handful of people milling about and a lone engine parked a few tracks over that Zane pointed out to everyone. Once we heard the distant whistle of the approaching train Zane got serious, he even sat down next to the yellow line to wait for it. When the train finally approached (WAY bigger than the old steam engine) Zane couldn’t sit still and had to stand up to watch it. We were three feet from the track and the train headed straight for us, rumbling and roaring, and then passed us to park with the fourth car next to us. The track joint right next to us needed repair and as each set of wheels rolled over it bent down a few inches into the gravel, the bolts rattling.

Once the train stopped and conductors came out Zane was so shocked and excited he could barely contain himself. Wish I’d though of video taping it, but I was too busy keeping an eye on him and the train. We walked the length of the train and Zane waved to the engineer and put his hand on the side of the grumbling engine. Then the conductors let us go on board to take a peak. The head conductor gave Zane a punch ticket and then they left in a cacophony of noise just as they had arrived.

Stop five: feed and grain store. There was some kind of police department thing going on, and they were showing the police dogs in action, along with food, radio DJs, and tons of people. We found a Zane-sized cart and he did a great job pushing it through the store. After all of that we headed home for lunch. When we got there Zane had other ideas and headed off into the woods on the trail I made last month. He walked the whole thing without any help, making it over roots and branches, only falling once. Finally it was time for lunch, which he barely picked at, and then he collapsed into a nap. He woke from the nap a couple hours later with a 102 temperature and the rest of the day was spent clinging to, crawling over, or laying on his dad with a few moans or cries thrown in for good measure.