Elijah's first REAL train ride!

Besides Elijah’s birthday party over Memorial weekend, we also had the opportunity to take a scenic train ride. Elijah’s first REAL train ride!! The trip was one of Elijah’s gifts from Grandma Amanda and Grandpa Terry, so on Sunday Grandma, Grandpa, Jon, me, and Elijah, headed over to the Walled Lake Scenic Railroad to have a one hour trip. We showed up at the depot in time to see the Michigan Star Clipper Dinner Train leave the station too. Elijah had gone to see that train at the depot a few weeks ago when Grandma Amanda and Grandpa Terry watched him while we were packing, but this time he got to see it leave the station! He was a little scared at first – the train blew a very loud whistle – but then fascinated by it, especially since it crossed the road, changed lines and then came back past us a second time!

When it was time for us to board our train we first explored all the cars, and then Elijah got to choose his seat. While we waited for departure we all took turns reading “Happy Birthday Thomas” to him – a book that Grandma and Grandpa bought him at the depot before we left. And Jon took our picture from outside the train (with Eli yelling, "Daddy, get on the train!").

Eli thought the train ride was pretty cool and spent the first half mostly looking out the window as we passed things. He wanted to spot all the, “railroad lights,” as we went through the crossings, and when we went through one really big crossing where there were gates and lots of cars waiting he thought that was great.

Eli wasn’t so sure about walking around while the train was moving, but Grandma Amanda finally convinced him to give it a try. Then he loved it! We headed back to the food car and he got a chance to play with a little toy train they had back there, and also pick out a snack (Oreos, that’s my boy!). The train ride was just the right length, with Elijah only losing interest in the last 10 minutes or so (he was fading fast for naptime). He loved his choo-choo train ride and that was the first thing he told Grandma Koorndyk about when he got home on Monday! Thank you Grandma Amanda and Grandpa Terry for a great birthday present! You made a little three year olds dream come true!