Daniel's Sick Day

Daniel woke up with a fever last Wednesday, which continued into Thursday, and we had to skip our bi-weekly MOPS meeting.  He visited the pediatrician Thursday and got that much too familiar diagnosis- just a virus. He wasn't cranky, just feverish with classic cold symptoms.  But, since he had a fever on Thursday, he couldn't go to school Friday.

Anabella still wanted to go, and I was happy that our preschool offers "kiss and ride" services for just these types of situations. Much to my surprise, Anabella happily greeted the assistant who retrieved her from the van, and eagerly walked into Daytime Playtime without even a glance back (no Mommy, no Daniel). Makes me happy that they love school so much. And they do love it. They even play it at home sometimes.

Mommy and Daniel had pancakes at McDonalds and then returned home for some quality one on one time. After playing a little ball in the den,  I decided now might be a good time to introduce Daniel to his new train set (boxed in the basement).  I started at a new fitness center a few weeks ago, and I've noticed that every time I drop him off at the kidkare room there, he runs right for the train set.  I've been thinking of putting his together for a while now, but the task seemed a little daunting and I hadn't found the time.

About two years ago, I purchased a Pottery Barn Kids train table (which included a train track) from craigslist to be used as our coffee table for the den.  I bought the table for the drawers, which I thought would be a good storage place for the babies' toys, and the table top, which I thought was a good large surface area for them to play with their toys.  I wasn't at all interested in the train at the time, but I figured it would probably be useful in the future.

Sure enough, proving useful- now!

This summer we moved the coffee table (a.k.a train table) from the den to Daniel's room when we got new furniture for the den.

After pulling out the box containing the track, and taking a look at the directions (oh my), the first thing I did was move the train table from Daniel's room to our room so that I could assemble the track during his nap (or later that night when he was sleeping).  Glancing into the box and taking a look at the accompanying directions, I didn't anticipate this task to be an easy one.  Turns out it wasn't hard at all, but it did take a great deal of time, and I did have to do it during naptime, so I was smart to move into our room. Daddy didn't exactly agree with my reasoning when he had to move it back to Daniel's room on Sunday after we both ran into it on two separate occasions in the middle of the night on Saturday- but having it assembled allowed for a picture which helped make setting it up a second time much easier than the first starting from scratch.

 I wondered, at first, if I would need a degree in engineering to figure this out!

Thank goodness for directions!

 Dan pulled the trains out, and started right in chugging them along!

 He was really excited about this bridge.

I started by gathering all the like pieces and taking an inventory.  Meanwhile, Daniel started putting it together!!

I decided to skip the inventory for the time being (my pieces kept disappearing) and just enjoy watching my lil' boy play. I was impressed with how he put the tracks together so efficiently! Much better than slow ol' Mommy who was just making piles and didn't seem to be making any progress at all! There's much to be learned from a two-year-old.  Mommys, take note. 

 Before I knew it, he'd assembled the track all the way across the table!

Hmm, Mommy, I bet this turntable goes in the center.
(he did not say this, but I bet the smart boy was thinking it!)

Before we knew it, it was 11:40 a.m. and time to go pick up Anabella.  Now, what I was not prepared for, was what came next.

Anabella got in the car and the first words out of her mouth were, "Daniel got a new train" (because, of course, he wanted to carry the train along with him for the car ride). Oh boy. Daniel went on to tell her how he got a new train table.  Uh, oh.  I hadn't thought of this train set as a present as it had been sitting in our basement for two years.  But, Daniel did, and so did Anabella.  Anabella went on to say that she was getting a present when she got home too. A princess table! A princess table- can you believe it? She said she was getting a princess table and she hadn't even seen the train table yet.  Thinking quickly, they always keep me on my toes, I made sure Anabella understood that she was not getting a princess table and that the train table was the same table that had been in Daniel's room (and previously in the den), only now he had a train track to put on it.  And, of course, I assured her that she would also be getting a "present" when she got home.  

Oh boy.  Good thing I had already done some Christmas shopping.  But which of her trinkets would compare to this train set?! What had I done?! What was I thinking? What to do??

I did what any mother would do. I went to the basement and got Anabella's best "biggest" Christmas gift and gave it to her early.  

And, while it wasn't as large as a train track, she was just tickled pink (no pun intended).  :)  She named her new doll Allie.  Her Aunt Allie was as tickled as Anabella. It was completely Anabella's idea- up until this doll she hasn't been much into naming them- I guess she's maturing because as soon as I asked what she was naming her, she thought a few seconds and replied, "Allie".   

Allie has renewed Anabella's doll enthusiasm, which has recently taken a backseat to coloring and "homework."

Here is Daniel's completed train track.  

Not only did I get a bargain on this PBK Carolina table, which was less than half of what it would have been new, we got a steal with this train set! The train track itself is awesome, complete with two bridges and two tunnels; but it also came with a "North Pole" house and gas station in addition to some wooden people, animals, houses, signs, trees, etc.  

And, I wasn't crazy after all- there were a ton of "extra" pieces.  Enough for Daniel to assemble his own second track on the floor.  

Here's the track he built.  This one does not have directions, so it will be all up to Daniel (and Daddy) to put this one together. Believe it or not, Daniel prefers this wooden track to the one on the table. He likes putting it together.  

If Daniel were any older than 2 years, he might wish for more "sick" days! 

I'm just glad I survived this one!