If it moves and has wheels or an engine, Ian is interested. He absolutely loves anything involving transportation. Cars, trucks, motorcycles, airplanes, boats, wagons, bicycles, and especially trains to mention a few. If it moves and can transport something, he's hooked.
First thing after waking up, Ian has to play with his newly acquired train table that Santa brought him. He gets so engrossed in connecting the magnetic train cars and pushing them around the track, that I have to drag him away to eat breakfast. Usually tears are involved, although Paul and I have learned a one minute warning definitely helps with the transition. The second he is released from his highchair, off he bounces towards the train table.
Ian also loves to play with his bigger sized cars, trucks and train too. He pushes them around and lines them up like they're in a race. I frequently see him lying on the floor intently watching as the wheels go round and round. The latest newly acquired skill is for Ian to sit under a chair and move the vehicles between its legs. This is funny to watch, especially when he is finally ready to move out from under the chair and finds that his head is stuck, poor thing. Some whining, and "umm," his word for help, and mama comes to the rescue.
The interesting thing is that this obsession is not limited to actual toy cars, trucks, trains, etc. He even loves to look at books with this subject matter. It's so cool when he brings me a book and curls up in my lap to share it with me (because of course I and everyone else must have this obsession too). One of our favorite games is to say a type of vehicle and have him point to it. He's very proud of knowing the names of so many! Even in picture story books, where the topic involves something other than transportation, he keeps a watchful eye for the things he loves. One book in particular titled, "It's Too Soon," about a little rabbit having to go to bed, has a couple pages showing a car on a bookshelf. As soon as we get to those few pages, Ian gets very excited and says, "Caa, caa." Interpretation: car, car.
Ask Ian if he wants to go bye, bye, and he's off and running for the door shouting very clearly, "Bye, bye!!!" This kid loves to travel around in a car. I've heard other parents groan about having to lug their offspring anywhere. As for Ian, are you kidding? He knows that bye, bye means an opportunity to get out on the road and see the very things he loves. Sometimes we even luck out and get to see a real live school bus. Oh boy, when that opportunity presents itself, he squeals with delight and kicks his legs like nobody's business. A school bus sighting will absolutely make his day.
It is so cool to watch Ian play with his toys and be a total boy. But the really neat thing to observe is when he doesn't have his toys and has to use his imagination. When he starts to fill up during a meal, he loves to take his food, start driving it around his tray making engine noises. In restaurants, Ian grabs a straw and drives it around the table and under the place mat which of course makes an excellent tunnel. That cheese stick? A definite airplane once he stretches his arms upward adding sound effects to boot.
His preoccupation with all things transportation has certainly made it easier for Paul and I to think up a theme for his new room. When baby sister arrives and Ian is ousted from the nursery, he will absolutely go nuts when he sees all the trucks, trains, and planes covering the walls and bed. At least that's our hope to help make the transistion go a little smoother.
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