More Thanks

Wow!  I did not do a very good job of posting what I am thankful for every day of November, did I?

Today was a fun day for Haley.

Her Big Sis got to work at the Zoo again.  She is currently working the "Winter Program" of the ZooTeens.  I was not able to drive Haley's Big Sis to the Zoo today, I had another commitment, so I asked her Dad to do it.  I also asked him to do something else.  Knowing Haley I knew that she and her Dad would have a BAD day if she didn't get to go to the Zoo too, so I asked him if he could take her to the Zoo.

I figured that he could drop her Big Sis off and then take Haley to the Zoo for three hours and then bring them both home.  Easy Peasy.

As it turned out they did that and then they had lunch and then they went to the Apple store and then they went to Starbucks.  So it was a pretty GOOD day.  Haley was very happy when they got home.  She was happy to tell me that they saw Tigers and Giraffes and Sea Otters.  She also told me that they had lunch and that she had Orange Pop.  After she was home for a while she brought me her empty Starbucks cup and told me that she had "strawberries," which is a Grande Soy Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino, which is her normal drink at Starbucks.

She has told me multiple times that she had a "fun day."  I asked her if she had told her Dad "Thank you," which she immediately did.

Her Dad told me that it was by far the best Zoo trip he had ever taken her on.  She was happy to walk around the Zoo and look at the signs and talk about the animals.   He said that she didn't focus on the next animal like she usually does.  She didn't go ballistic when he told her that the train wasn't running.  About fifteen minutes before her sister's shift was done he suggested that they go to the Gift Shop.  She walked around and looked at things and then when her sister texted and said that she was done they met and had lunch together.

So, the trend continues that she is maturing and is a pleasure to be around.

Yes, I am thankful for that, and so is her Dad.

Feel It

I love that Haley and her Dad have a shared hobby.  They both love trains.  They get to spend time together enjoying their hobby and it is special.

Haley's Dad enjoys some unique behaviors from Haley.  She acts differently when she is with him and away from me.  With me or with her Dad she is always herself, but she shows each of us a different side of herself.  

We like to compare notes.

She is very independent when she is with her Dad.  She will try things that she probably wouldn't try if I was around.  I was about to type that she is more serious with him, but I don't know if that is really true.  She can be very serious with me as well, but she also is very silly with me.

Over the years as Haley and her Dad have gone out on these excursions of theirs, watching trains, her Dad usually comes home and tells me all about it.  He tells me that she was scared of the big, loud engines.  This time he told me that she wasn't.  She got out of the truck - he has trained her to do that all on her own - and stood next to him as he took photos of the train.  There were times that he told her it was cold out and that she could stay in the truck, but she didn't.  She got out and stood stoically next to him.  

He also told me that once when they were about to get out of the truck he told her to take her hat off.  She didn't like that idea.  She was wearing her Daylight hat for a reason - she was representing.  She listened to her Dad and took it off.  When she stepped out of the truck a big gust of wind hit her and she instinctively reached for her hat, it wasn't on her head.  She looked at her Dad and he read the look to mean - hey, you were right.  

It's amazing when parents know what they are talking about you know.

Haley's Dad didn't take a lot of pictures this trip, probably because he had his daughter with him.  I think that limits him somewhat.  He is limited in where he can go to set up and how long he can wait.  I hope he doesn't mind, because I think it is a wonderful thing that they can share these experiences.  I want to share a picture that he did take though.

He tells me that he didn't want to waste that sky.  The train wasn't coming, but he wanted to take a picture of that sky so he took a picture with Haley in it.  He sent it to me on my phone.  It made me cry.  It makes me cry now. 

These are experiences that Haley and her Dad share.  Experiences that they will both remember.  That is special.

In case you are wondering what it was that they saw out there I thought I would share a video that my husband took of the Daylight going by.  The video is impressive, but make no mistake, to see it in person is so much more so.

As Haley will tell you they got to "See it.  Hear it.  Smell it."  and Feel it.

 

~ Haley's Mom

I am participating in 31 for 21 Blog Challenge this month. The challenge I have accepted is to blog every day in October to raise awareness for Down Syndrome. Learn more about Down Syndrome at the National Association of Down Syndrome.

Again

Haley had so much fun yesterday chasing the Daylight.  Her Dad told her that she would get to do it again today.  Well, yesterday her told her that she would get to do it again tomorrow.  

So she was excited.

Again.

She got me up a couple of times last night.  She got up early this morning.  It was actually the time that she usually gets up for school, but it was too early for me.  I figured that she was fine downstairs on her laptop so I fell back asleep.  Her Dad got up.

I think he forgot to tell her that she would see the Daylight later in the day.

The thing was that the train pulled by the Daylight headed to Bend, Oregon yesterday.  Haley and her Dad didn't follow it all the way to Bend.  They stopped at some point and headed home.  They stopped for dinner at Subway and then got home around 7:30 pm.  So today her Dad planned to wait until the train was about two hours away and head out and follow it back to Portland.

Haley was excited.

She wanted to go and see the Daylight this morning.  I knew that because when she went to bed last night she said "Daylight. Good Morning."  

I just let it go.  

She didn't get upset today.  I went to church with Haley's Big Sis and her friend that stayed the night, like we always do.  Haley and her Dad didn't go train watching first thing in the morning like they usually do.  After lunch Haley's Big Sis wanted to go out and run some errands and then we took her friend back home.  When we got home I was sitting in the living room and Haley came in and said "Again."

"What?"  I said.

"Again." 

I knew what she meant.  She knew that she was going to see the Daylight again.  She was being extremely patient as far as I was concerned.  

Later on when I was upstairs in my bedroom Haley came in a pointed out the window.  She was excited that her grandparents car was still in the culdesac.  I told her that after she and her Dad followed the Daylight they would bring Grandma and Grandpa back to our house.  That made her happy.

It took a long time, but her Dad finally came down the stairs this evening and told me that the train was about two hours away.  He told me because I was trying to figure out when to start dinner and when I should plan to serve it.  I think Haley heard him because she came running in to the room.  He told her that she could get ready and she got excited all over again.

She ran to get her shoes and her coat and her Daylight hat.

I ran in to get her picture.

 

  

And then they were off.

Again.

~ Haley's Mom

I am participating in 31 for 21 Blog Challenge this month. The challenge I have accepted is to blog every day in October to raise awareness for Down Syndrome. Learn more about Down Syndrome at the National Association of Down Syndrome.

The Cat's Out of the Bag

Haley's Dad has been planning something fun for Haley for several months.

Tonight at dinner he turned to her and said "Haley, do you want to see the Daylight on Saturday?"

"Daylight?"

I said "You aren't going to pass that up are you."

She said "Saturday."

He said "Yeah, and Sunday too."

"Sunday?"

Then she started counting her fingers.  "What are you counting?"

She pointed to the refrigerator.  Then I got it.  She was pointing at the calendar.

I said "Tomorrow is Friday and then the next day is Saturday.  So, I guess you would count one day."

"One day?"

Her Dad asked her if she thought she could spend the whole day with him.  He told her that she would probably see the Daylight at least four times.

She said "Yeah."

Then she got up from the table and went to her laptop and started watching Daylight videos on YouTube.

He didn't tell her the other surprise.  

Her Grandma and Grandpa will be here tomorrow when she gets off of the bus.  I don't know if he plans to tell her that or not. 

I think we should let this one settle in.

~ Haley's Mom

I am participating in 31 for 21 Blog Challenge this month. The challenge I have accepted is to blog every day in October to raise awareness for Down Syndrome. Learn more about Down Syndrome at the National Association of Down Syndrome.

Overheard...

As I was watching for Haley's bus I heard a conversation between her Dad and her Big Sis.

Haley's Dad:  "Last night when you and Mom were out Haley and I were talking about Lion King.  I said, 'Mufasa' and she said 'Simba,' then I said 'Mufasa' and she said 'Simba' and then I said 'Mufasa' and she yelled 'Bonzai!'"

They both cracked up.

Haley's Big Sis:  "When Haley and I walked down to Starbuck's I asked her about her teacher.  She talked the whole way down there.  I don't know what she was saying, but she was talking.  Then after we got our drinks at Starbuck's all she said the whole way back was 'Mmmmm. Good.'"

They laughed some more.

I love that.

They were talking about her, but it wasn't gossip.  It wasn't malicious.  They were sharing. 

We share around here.

We like to update each other on Haley's progress.  It helps if she does something or says something to know if we are the first one to see it or hear it, or if it is a pattern.  We like to keep each other up to date and we like to hear when she is learning and growing.

All three of us are in her corner.  All of the time.

See It

Haley's favorite engine will be heading out on the rails once again.  Haley is excited.  Her Dad told her that he will take her to "chase" it. 

Haley says she is going to "See It!"

It is really all she talks about these days.  Her Dad told her about it around two weeks ago.  It has been the topic of discussion constantly since then.

As always happens when Haley is anticipating something she will bring it up and then expect me to validate her.  If she doesn't get the response she wants she will get louder.  Invariably when she gets louder she also starts to sound angry. 

As a side note; as I typed that I realized that I do the same thing, I don't mean to, but people are always saying that about me.  That makes me pause a moment...

Anyway, as a self-defense mechanism I just say "Woo! Hoo!"  She repeats "Woo! Hoo!" and we move on.

So for example a typical discussion sounds like this:

Haley says, "Daylight.  See it."

"Yes, you are going to see it."

"Daylight."

"Yes."

"See it."

"Yep, you are going to see it."

"Daylight."

"Yep."

"DAYLIGHT!  SEE IT!"

"Woo! Hoo!"

"Woo! Hoo!"

This morning Haley and I were having a running discussion about "seeing" the Daylight as we were getting her ready for school.  My husband was in his office working and he came in to Haley's bedroom and said "What are you woohooing about?"  Haley kind of back pointed to her calendar. 

She always points at the calendar in her room and talks about the next exciting thing that is happening, even though right now the month that is displayed is March and the calendar is actually from 2008.

He didn't see the gesture.  He asked her again.  She just looked at me.  I said "Haley, I know what you were woohooing about, but Dad doesn't.  Can you tell him?" 

She looked up at her Dad and said "Daylight." 

Maybe you had to be there, but her Dad and I just looked at each other and smiled. 

"That was a perfect answer." he said.

Going Around Town

It often amazes me the things that Haley can find on the Internet.  Lately she has been "walking" around town.

Occasionally I check out what she has on the computer screen.  Today she has been all over town on Google Maps.  I was not surprised to find her at the train station, I assume she found a link to it through one of the train sites that she frequents.  I was, however, surprised to find her at the airport.  I don't know how she did that.

My husband is responsible for her new hobby.

At some point he typed in his parents address on Google Maps and looked at an aerial view of their property.  Haley saw it and recognized it as Grandma and Grandpa's house.  The funny thing is that you can even see Heather in the picture.  That map is saved in Haley's favorites and she often visits it. 

She knows how to find aerial maps and then she looks at the street view, then she moves around.  She was in the center of a four lane road at one point today.  I said "Haley, what are you doing in the middle of the street?"  She just laughed.

She uses Google Maps to look around at the buildings, the cars and even the people (whose faces are blurred.)  She seems to be completely entertained.

It's kind of cool.  I don't want her out walking the streets by herself, but I don't mind if she does it in "virtual reality."

Isn't it amazing what you can do on the Internet?

National Train Day 2011

Saturday was National Train Day for 2011. NTD is an event organized by Amtrak to get people out and see what they have to offer. In Portland Amtrak assembled a nice array of their Superliners and Talgos. Of course they had some wonderful historic equipment most importantly including Haley's favorite, the Daylight.

This year Haley's Mom was unable to attend because of another appointment. That meant Haley and I could have a daddy/daughter adventure! Instead of surprising her like we did last year I explained the plan to her first thing in the morning. I told her we'd ride Max to Portland Union Station and we would see her Daylight, BNSF, a caboose and some other railroad equipment. I think having her understand the complete plan worked well. She was right in step with me through every part of the day.

At the station Haley and I walked around and looked at everything. Last year Haley was very nervous around the Daylight. I think it was because they were constantly blowing the whistle and startling her. This year they chose to blow the whistle at the top and bottom of every hour. This was perfect! I could easily warn Haley and get her prepared. The result was this year she was much calmer around the Daylight. I imagine many of the other kids were happier too.

I think her favorite thing was a BNSF locomotive. We spent quite a bit of time wandering around it, touching, and listening to its noises. In fact I ended up capturing the image in this post at the rear steps. Haley really likes the photo too. She stood by me the whole time I was editing it talking about her day.

Today she's still basking in the fun she had. She still reviews all the things she picked up yesterday and has been watching the video she bought pretty much non-stop.

National Train Day is good!

The Trains Magazine

Haley's Dad here again. As a railfan I'm a subscriber to a couple of different railroad magazines. Haley really likes these because they are littered with pictures of trains. She opens each one and makes a first pass looking for the Daylight. If there is an image of the Daylight in the magazine, no matter how small or stylized, she will find it. She has a passion for that locomotive.

Her next pass is to identify other locomotives and which railroad they belong to. For the most part she can pick out locomotives from BNSF, UP, Amtrak, Sante Fe, BN, CN, and CP with little help. Some times prior paint schemes from these railroads confuse her a little. This is where Haley's Mom and I come in. We have to identify the railroad for her on any images where she doesn't recognize the paint job. This is OK, but after reviewing the same magazine with her dozens of times it gets kinda old.

Thursday the latest issue of Trains arrived in the mailbox. When I hopped into the car with it Haley had already noticed that I was carrying a new magazine. She asked to see it in her own gibberish. I handed it to her. That was a big mistake.

She has essentially claimed the new issue as hers. During the day it sits on our bar table so she can refer to it at any time. Every meal it sits between us and we have to flip pages while I identify railroads (and there are an abundance of unusual railroads this month!). At night it goes to her magazine cache in her room where it rests until she gets up. Needless to say I've had little opportunity to read it myself.

Why is this issue so compelling for her? The best I can figure is she loves the full page vertical image of SP4458, a sister Daylight locomotive to the SP 4449, pulling a freight train. Of course she doesn't know it is not the locomotive down in Portland, it's a Daylight locomotive and that is all that matters!

I'm very happy she has a passion for something. I want to read my magazine though.

Cats, Cows, and Dogs

The last two weeks while Haley's Mom is off enjoying time with our new niece I've taken Haley to yoga. The first week I carefully sat on the chair and watched. Haley's instructor finally encouraged me into getting on the mat and sharing yoga with Haley.

I've never done yoga before. Would I be able to control my body the way the instructor and Haley do? I was apprehensive at first.

On the floor I went about moving my body into positions and shapes I'd never tried before. I was of course a bit awkward at it but I had fun and by the end of the first session I had become a pro. I could do Cat, Cow, and Dog as good as Haley!

This week I walked in and asked if I could join in from the start. The instructor said sure and we got started. She'd coach Haley and I into the various poses through warm up, and into stretching.

Then it started.

The instructor decided I could do more advanced stuff. She'd coach Haley then she'd say "Dad, do what Haley is doing and add X" Usually X was lifting a leg, or not supporting my weight with my arms. What had started out as innocent fun with Haley was turning into work.

Yoga felt good. Even with the extras.

At the end of the session the instructor let Haley take the papers we were using as our list of poses home. Haley was pretty excited. She ran into the house with the papers not stopping to remove her shoes. She HAD to show her Big Sis what she does at yoga. She went into her undecipherable jabber pointing at each page with great excitement. Big Sis understood just what Haley was saying.

Yoga is fun. I can't wait for next week.

She Saw the Daylight

In our area we are blessed to have a steam locomotive that is operational and is run on special occasions.  One such occasion is the Christmas season.  Every year we like to take Haley for a ride on the Holiday Express that is pulled by either the 4449 Daylight or the SP&S 700. 

We wanted to go this weekend, but Haley's Big Sis is not feeling well so we are planning to go next weekend.  We bought our tickets this morning.

My husband always takes Haley train watching on Sundays and he really wanted to take her down to see the Daylight pulling the train today.  He was concerned that she would be upset if she got to see the train without getting to ride it. 

I didn't know what to tell him, but I said that maybe she would understand if he just told her the truth.  He decided to take her.

When they got home Haley came in the kitchen and started telling me all about it.  She told me that she saw the Daylight and that she walked and that she heard the engine's whistle.  She told me that she could smell the steam and smoke and that it smelled good.  Her Dad came in a few minutes later and prompted her to tell me more.  He told me that she wasn't scared.  At all.  He said that she walked right along side the engine and never asked to go back to the Yukon. 

He said that he really enjoyed the whole trip because she really enjoyed it.

I asked him if she was upset that she didn't get to ride it.  He said that she wasn't.  She talked about riding the cars and he told her that we had tickets for next Sunday.  She said "tickets" and that was it.  She was fine with it.

A few hours later. after she had spent the afternoon looking at pictures of the Daylight and the Holiday Express online she came downstairs and found me again.  She started telling  me how she had waved at the engineer of the Daylight, his name is Doyle.  She told me that she walked and that she had fun.

Well, I will let her tell you herself.

Haley's Hobby

Haley's hobby, of watching trains, that she shares with her Dad means something else to her Dad.  He likes to watch them go by, just as much as Haley does, but he also likes to take pictures of them.  He is not the only one.  There is a whole society of people that like to take pictures of trains going by.  Not only do they like to take these pictures but they like to share them with each other.

My husband belongs to several groups that post pictures of the trains that they take online.   They also like to get together occasionally and look at each others pictures.  A couple of years ago my husband got together with some friends and set their pictures to music and they made a night of it watching their shows, having dinner and drinks and just enjoying their mutual hobby.

My husband became the video guru.  People send their photo montages (set to music) to him and he makes sure that they will run smoothly.  Then at the appointed time he runs all of the shows for the group from his computer on a big screen.

The advantage to this is that Haley is left with a plethora of train pictures set to music.  She gets immense joy from watching these shows.  The people that make these shows know that they will be enjoyed by their friends for an evening.  I bet they have no idea how much joy they give to one little girl forevermore.

The weekend is coming up where everyone will get together and share their shows and so my husband has been previewing a lot of shows, making sure that they will be presented without a problem.  Haley has been enjoying them.  She also had gotten into looking at the shows that we still have from several years past.

The fun thing for me is that in general the music is good, so when Haley wants to watch the shows I enjoy the music.  This weekend Haley watched the shows over and over again.  She sang at the top of her lungs along with some of the songs.  She had a great time.

She was so in to it on Sunday evening that I could hear her from downstairs.  She had the show on pretty loud and she was going from the computer room to our bedroom and back singing along. 

Pretty soon I couldn't hear her singing anymore. 

I went upstairs to put her to bed and I found her sitting at the computer with her legs crossed on the table, her hand on the mouse and her head on the back of the chair.  She was nodding off, just about asleep.  I gently got her up and turned off her show and put her in bed. 

She was so happy to watch those shows and she really got in to the music.  I think she had worn herself out. 

Dad. Haley. 844.

Last night my husband surprised Haley and took her to see a visiting steam engine, the Union Pacific 844. 

He didn't tell her what they were doing.  She usually likes to "go" it doesn't really matter where.  When they got to where the steam engine was parked they could just see the top of it.  He asked her what she saw and she said "844."

They got to go right up to it.  It is in town this week as part of the "Portland Rose" tour.  The engine was parked next to a parking lot and they even had the gift shop open.

When she got home she came running in to the living room to find me.  She said "844!"  She showed me the paper that she got with information about the engine and the business card she got with the Union Pacific logo on it.  She was so excited, her cheeks were bright red.

She could not calm down.  Her Dad showed us these pictures on this camera and then when upstairs to upload all of the pictures that he had taken.  Haley would go upstairs and see what he was doing and then come back down and tell me more about her adventure.  This went on all night long, up and down and back up again.

This morning she woke up and immediately got her paper and started telling me all over again.

"Dad. Haley. 844.  Steam.  Smoke.  Hot.  Smells good.  Big.  Big wheels."

She wanted to put her paper in her backpack.  I told her that she could share it with her friends at school.  She focused on the word "share." 

She used to get to take something to school every Friday that she could share.  They had sharing time where each kid was the center of attention.  They could bring out whatever they had brought and talk about it, then the other kids would raise their hands and ask questions or make a comment.  Haley loved sharing time.  She was ready every Friday with something to share.  That was in grade school.  She hasn't had sharing time in middle school .  I told her that she could share the paper with her one-on-one helper and with Miss D, but that she wouldn't have a real sharing time.

I don't know if she understood me and I don't know what will happen when she gets to school, but I hope she gets to share that paper with someone or I think she just might burst!

It's Not Fair

Grandma C is jealous of my husband's Dad, Grandpa C.  Haley gets really excited when he is coming to see her.  My Mom has witnessed the excitement first hand. 

Once she was at our house and had been there a couple of days when Grandma and Grandpa arrived.  Haley ran to the door and gave Grandpa a hug.  You know by now, if you have been reading this blog that Haley's hugs are not consistent, but Grandma did see that hug.

Grandma C knows that Grandpa C has the tractor that Haley likes to ride.  She thinks that the tractor makes the difference.  I don't know if that is true.  It doesn't bother me, I know she loves all of her Grandparents very much.

What Grandpa doesn't have though that my Mom and Don do is a train track right outside his window. 

Haley loves to come to Montana and stay at Grandma and Don's house because of the trains.  We can usually hear the train coming and we all yell, "Haley get to the window, a train is coming!"  Haley yells "WooHoo!" and giggles.  Sometimes several trains go by in one day.  Yesterday the same train went back and forth switching cars.  There was also a crew loading Herzog Cartopper backhoes onto some cars that were hauling new ties.  I think Haley was especially interested in this train because there was a caboose on the end.

Haley and her Dad sat in the back of the Yukon in the garage and watched the action for almost two hours.  It was really hot yesterday.  I think the high was ninety three.  It was a little cooler in the shade, but they were dedicated.  Haley was in heaven.

Haley loves that trains go right by Grandma's house.  It would seem that Grandma and Don have an unfair advantage.  So I really don't think Grandma needs to worry about Grandpa C's tractor.

Haley really liked the fact that the train she had watched all day parked right there and stayed all night long.  Whenever she looked out the window it was still sitting there.  She actually seemed a little concerned that it wasn't leaving.  She waved at it and said "Bye."  and then she would walk by later and it would still be sitting there and she would say "Bye." again.

I didn't appreciate it much however.  The crew walked away from the train around four o'clock in the afternoon and left it running.  It ran for a couple of hours and then shut down.  We had about an hour rest before it started back up again.  That went on all night long.  I ended up wearing earplugs to block some of the sound, but Haley didn't.  I was amazed that she could sleep through it. 

This morning about nine forty five the crew came back and the train finally left.  Haley and I went out the front door and waved goodbye.  Haley said "Bye.  Miss You." 

I didn't.

Montana Train Watching

When we come to Montana Haley's Dad likes to drive around and take pictures of the beautiful scenery and the occasional train.  I could tell that he was getting ready to go yesterday and I suggested that he take Haley.  She loves watching trains and she hadn't been train watching in a while.  She was excited to go.

They were gone for a while.  When they got back Haley was really happy.  She kept telling me that she had a "fun time."  I asked her Dad if he got any good pictures while they were out.  He said he got one.

"Train Ride...Yeah"

One of the highlights of our recent trip to Grandma and Grandpa's house was the way that Haley got there.  My husband took her on Amtrak and her Big Sis and I met them in Tacoma and then we drove the rest of the way.  This is his account in his words:

"Train Ride...Yeah"

For several years I've had the idea that on a trip to Grandpa's Haley and I should ride Amtrak up to Tacoma while Haley's Mom and Big Sis drive up and meet us.  Haley's ridden several excursion trains but has never set foot on the Amtrak trains she sees and loves to watch. I decided last weekend's trip to Grandpa's would be a good opportunity to make this trip since we were treating Big Sis to a Mariners game.

All Aboard

Haley's Mom spent some time explaining to Haley that she and Dad would be riding the train for part of the trip to Grandpa's.  She really didn't seem to understand the concept but did go along with it.  We arrived at the Vancouver depot about 25 minutes before train time and again explained to Haley that we'd be riding Amtrak to Grandpa's and finally I think it started to sink in.  When we stepped onto the platform a few minutes before the train arrived she seemed ready to go but very unsure of what was going on.  In typical Haley fashion she was a bit apprehensive about actually boarding the train but went right along with it.

Highball Vancouver!

Once on board we found our seats and started our journey.  Haley of course got the window seat so she could see everything easily.  I pointed out several of our favorite train watching haunts as we whizzed through Vancouver's western suburbs.  Haley was very quiet and seemed to just be soaking in the whole atmosphere of rolling down the track at 79 mph.  North of Woodland we passed one of the railroad's automated hot box detectors that inspects the train for hot axles/wheels and dragging equipment.  These detectors give a status to the train crew over the radio and Haley has always enjoyed the last part of the radio message which is "detector out."  I let her listen on the radio to the message from the detector and that seemed to tickle her.

The Whistle

On board Amtrak Cascades cars the ride is smooth and quiet except for the occasional clickety-clack when passing over the frogs of switches.  Haley's favorite noise though was the whistle.  Despite being about 5 cars behind the engine the wail of the air horn was easily heard and several times Haley commented on hearing it.  "Whistle" she'd say and point to the front of the train.

Other Trains

The cars ride quite low so when meeting or passing other trains about all you see out the window is wheels and the bottom portion of the freight cars.  We saw around a dozen trains along the way but it wasn't until we about to dive into Tacoma's Nelson Bennett tunnel when we passed a Union Pacific stack train that Haley became excited about seeing a train out her window.  "Pacific", "cars", "blue", "train ride....yea" she was really into our ride now.  In fact when we passed the head end of the UP train she actually identified the yellow engines as belonging to the Union Pacific.

Tacoma in 5 minutes

As we passed through Ruston meeting two southbound BNSF freights Haley was on a roll identifying engines and logos on cars out the window.  She was really enjoying herself.  I had to explain to her that in a few minutes we were going to be getting off the train and meeting Mom and Big Sis so we could head to Grandpa's.  That didn't seem to bother her as it seem like she was really ready to tell someone about her experience. 

Off To Grandpa's

We got off the train and met up with Mom who got a few more pictures of us in front of the train.  As a last thrill for the night we all stood on the platform and watched as our train pulled away from the Tacoma station.  Haley always enjoys the cadence of locomotive exhaust noise and with the train accelerating out of the station the exhaust rumbling off the ceiling of the platform cover was thrilling.  Spontaneously she said "bye a train" and gave a great big wave.

Don't Touch Me

Haley and her Dad and I went for a walk today.  Her Dad and I usually walk for exercise and sometimes we take Haley.  Haley likes to walk with us, but she also likes to stop and read the signs along the trail, sit on the benches and basically follow her own paths.

We really wanted to exercise today, and I had a meeting I needed to get ready for this afternoon, so we wanted to walk quickly.  Haley has spurts of energy where she will walk out in front of us for a while.  That is nice because we can walk at a pace that is almost normal for us.  She will eventually slow down though, and quite often I have to hold her hand. That's fine, I like to hold her hand, but usually I end up almost dragging her.

She won't hold her Dad's hand.  At least not if I am there too.  That is pretty normal.  If I am not with them Haley will hold her Dad's hand.  She only wants to hold my hand if we are all together.  I suppose I should be flattered, but it can get pretty tiring.  Especially if I have to pull her behind me.

I try all kinds of things, I hold my hand up and bend my elbow so she walks right next to me.  I switch hands frequently.  I put both of my hands lightly on her shoulders and kind of walk off to the side and a little behind her. I put my hand on her back and she keeps walking, I am not really pushing her, she just keeps up a little better.   I like to change it up, basically just to keep my arms from going to sleep.

If her Dad tries to do that she will run to get away from him or she swats at his hand.

I don't know what that is about.  I swear when I am not around I think they have a great relationship and a great rapport.  It bums me out that I never get to see it.

She Gets That From Her Dad

I hurt my back, or my neck, or both.  I was thinking that I might have slept on it wrong.  It has actually been building up for a while.  Thinking about it this morning, I think I may have aggravated it during the rock concert I attended last week.  Anyway, I don't feel like doing much.  I basically do what I have to and I am trying to rest.  Consequently my house is a mess.  I walk around and notice all of the things that need to be done, but I just can't bring myself to do them.

This morning Haley has taken the issue into her own hands.

Haley is neat.  She doesn't like things to be out of place.  I can't remember if I have written about this in my blog before, but I think she gets it from her Dad.  Her Dad is very neat.  Her Dad was raised by two very neat people.  I call him Mr. Clean.  He is just naturally tidy.  He does a great job of cleaning.  Apparently he has a kind of built in cleanliness meter because there have been times that I have cleaned something only to find him cleaning it again.

Haley likes a clean surface, whether it be on a desk that she wants to work on or on the table where she likes to eat her breakfast and snacks.  If there is something on that table she will either hand it to me or throw it on the floor.  I don't quite understand why it would be OK for the floor to be messy, but there you are. 

I have been sitting at my desk in the room that I call the library.  It is the kind of room that would be a dining room for some people, but we have made it into my office.  I am a messy person.  My desk is a mess.  Haley comes up to me and starts handing me the things that are on top of the desk.  I told her that those things are on the desk because I am using them, but as far as she can tell they are just messing up the desk.

So this morning Haley started cleaning up.  She lined up all of her VHS tapes on the floor and then wanted me to look at them.  I told her it would be great if she would put them in their cases.  So she did.  Next thing I know she is picking up items from the front entry.  Most of those items in the front entry are there because of her, but at least she picked them up. 

I have not felt like bending down to pick them up.  I was actually thinking about asking her Big Sis to pick them up, but if I do that she will want to be paid.  Haley seems to be willing to do it for free.  She is neat.  She gets that from her Dad.

She's a Teenager

I know I recently blogged about Haley's birthday.  So it is not a surprise to you that she is a teenager.  That was when she chronologically became a teenager.  It would seem that she has "become a teenager" this last week.

Her new favorite word is "No" and she uses it frequently.  She uses it loudly.

I was downstairs on Sunday and Haley and her father were upstairs, I assume they were both using the computers in the office.  One at each end of the desk.  I can assume what was going on because they were both yelling.  Her Dad would yell something like "I am trying to help you, Haley."  and she would yell back.  I wouldn't hear anything for a few minutes and then I would hear "NO!"

She seems to have a short fuse lately.  We don't know why.  As it happens, it can't be PMS, because of the timing.  My only explanation is that she is becoming a teenager.  I remember when her Big Sis went through a phase when everything her Dad said was wrong.  She just seemed angry all of the time.  She actually told me once that she knew it was wrong to get mad at her Dad, but that she really couldn't help it.  I guess that must be what is going on with Haley.

I feel like I am the moderator.  On Sunday when they were yelling at each other I decided to just step in.  I resisted the urge to sit there and let them work it out.  I went upstairs and asked her to step out of the room with me.  I ended up taking her to the bathroom and changing her.  She seemed to be in a better mood after that, I don't know if she was just uncomfortable or if it was just the change of scenery.

She is testing our patience.  I guess she is testing us.  Teenagers do that, don't they?

Train Watching

Haley did go train watching with her Dad on Father's Day and he took some pictures of her while they were there.  She got to go to her new favorite train watching spot.  She calls it Tunnel.  They go under the tracks and go up a land bridge and watch the trains at eye level.  She likes it because she can be close, but not too close, and the engineers don't honk at her.

 

Haley brought along her horse Chip to help her watch the trains.