Precious Train Moments with Mama
Memories to Hold On To
“There’s the train!” he yells excitedly, squinting off into the distance.
The train rumbles into the station, and the doors slowly part. We hop aboard, take a seat, and our Sunday excursion has begun.
He points up and explains to me that the hand straps are there to hold onto so you don’t fall. This is something I told him a few weeks ago, and I’m proud that he has rememberd.
He chats the whole way, telling me what colour the seats are, pointing out the numbers he sees, and letting me know how many more stops we have to go. We only go a couple, so it’s easy to count.
Often, someone will be sitting across from us. They’ll be watching, and he’ll give them a sheepish smile, winning over his audience yet again.
It might only be a two-stop journey, but it’s become an important part of our week, and something I want to remember forever.
With the current state of petrol prices, who could blame us? The trains in Perth are free on Sundays, so it’s a no-brainer.
As soon as we get off at our destination, he cries for “More trains,” and becomes a little agitated until he realises we need to take the lift up to the concourse, and we’re off on our next adventure.
It’s a simple outing, all we do is go for a short stroll and buy a coffee. But because it’s Sunday, I treat myself to an iced coffee. I spoon off as much of the cream as I can before it hits the caffeine. He lets out a giggle of glee as I pass the spoon to him. Licking all the cream off, he looks at me with a satisfied smile and passes the spoon back.
We’ve developed an understanding, and he knows when I tell him it’s the last one, it’s time for Mama to have her turn and drink her coffee. He makes that last spoon of cream last as long as possible, slowly licking it as we walk back to the station.
I wipe cream from his chin, nose and forehead while we wait for the train, and he tells me what number platform we are on.
The train pulls in, we get back on and head home. As we get off at our stop, he waves to the train and says, “Bye train.” He’s sometimes a little upset that our outing is over, but then I remind him we’re going home to see Dada, and he starts chatting excitedly again.
While we were walking home from our last train journey, I reminded myself to enjoy each one of these trips because one day, not too far from now, he’ll decide that he doesn’t want to catch the train with his Mama anymore, and I’ll miss these moments.
Then, one afternoon this week, I asked him if he wanted to go for a walk. This is something we often do. He said, “No, I just want to stay home.”
I realised, it’s happening already. At the age of two, he’s already forming his own opinions and starting to realise that the things Mama loves to do aren’t always as fun for a little boy.
My heart broke a little as I was reminded how quickly he’s growing up, and how fast time is slipping by.
💙
About the Creator
Sandy Gillman
I’m a mum to a toddler, just trying to get through the day. I like to write about the ups and downs of parenting. I’m not afraid to tell it like it is. I hope you’ll find something here to laugh, relate to, and maybe even learn from.
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Comments (38)
Sandy, congrats on your leaderboard placement and top story! 🌸 I love trains and always have. I am glad the little one enjoyed them, too. Two is a funny age, but don't fret, you have plenty of days ahead to enjoy the same activities!💖
CONGRATS TOP STORY 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️ 🧸 ❣️
Stunning my darling just got round to reading I really felt you and your son on this piece with the journey, the train, my son loves trains and dose not like walking. This part so relatable my little one is 4 now but this one right here I realised, it’s happening already. "At the age of two, he’s already forming his own opinions and starting to realise that the things Mama loves to do aren’t always as fun for a little boy" Congratulations for leadership placement well deserve 💜💜
Wooohooooo congratulations on your Leaderboard placement! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Congratulations! TS and leaderboard top slot
YAY! Congratulations on your leaderboard win Sandy! 🥳
YOU'RE TOP OF THE LEADERBOARD!!! CONGRATS!
Heartfelt and so indicative of growing pains between adults and young ones. I know the feeling so well. Enjoy it while you have it, precious moments. Congrats.
I can relate to this on so many levels. My youngest loved trains. You know, you might just swap one type of experience for another that still holds him close. Just got to find it. It will be different but elements will be the same.
🥹 this is so beautiful Sandy ❤️ Cherished little moments certainly go fast 🥹
Sweet movements that “chug” by way too fast in deed!! 🚂 ♥️
Oh how they win over those audiences all too often…our 5-yr old is a pro. Another lovely, lamented memento to motherhood/parenting. Thanks for capturing and sharing.
He's turning into a little man. ❤️Congrats for getting top story!
Thanks for sharing these precious moments. It is a delight to read 🥰. Your son will treasure these stories.
There is something magical about a train journey, any train journey. And with a smart young man must make it truly special. But, yes, they sure grow up fast. Make the most of it while you can and hope that someday he will want to take his Mama out for a train ride. Thank you for capturing the magic and reminding me of the time when I went for little journeys with my own little ones, all now much bigger than me, in more ways than one.
Beautiful story. When your little one is as big as mine, you will be so glad you wrote this down. Next month, I will be handing mine off to another woman. As I read this story, I thought of how he used to love to take the city bus to "desert" McDonald's when he was my only child. The entire state is a desert, but the empty lot across the street made him dub it the "desert" McDonald's. Funny, today there is a large office complex on that empty lot and his fiancée works inside it.
Sweet story. Sounds like he's at a great age. Glad to see something so happy as a Top Story. Congratulations!
🌼Perfect timing for that photo, Sandy! You caught the train just as it was arriving. It was far enough to look cinematic but close enough to make the heart beat faster.
🍕🌊🙏🪷💕🛝🤸♂️🪁🍕🌊🙏🪷💕🛝🤸♂️🪁🍕🌊🙏🪷💕🛝🤸♂️🪁🍕🌊🙏🪷💕🛝🤸♂️🪁
CONGRATS TOP STORY🍕🌊🙏🪷💕🛝🤸♂️🪁 🍕🌊🙏🪷💕🛝🤸♂️🪁
Congratulations on Top Story - this is lovely.
This was so sweet and then bittersweet at the end. Congrats on the well-deserved TS! 💜
It is crazy how fast a two-year-old starts calling their own shots and suddenly those little Sunday routines begin to change. That moment where he just wanted to stay home instead of heading to the train really highlights how quickly they develop their own minds. I have a two-year-old grandniece, and she is the same way. Congrats on Top Story!
Beautiful storytelling Sandy! Your baby boy is so smart! 🤓 I'm sure that you'll soon find another activity to do together that you both enjoy! ☺️
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊