Tank Engines Among Us

Well, I have to blog about our youngest: The BoyKing. He is shall I say, The Golden One. The Light Of Our Lives. In short, he lived through something unspeakably awful in the first few months of his life, and so now everyone in the family dotes on him as though he is in immediate line for throneship. Alas, he is also..in need of a 12 step program for Thomas tank engine addiction. Of course, we can only be considered the best enablers parents since we purchased him the LARGEST train track set we could find as a Christmas gift last year. He dotes on his tank-engines as beloved family members. He brings them to bed, brings them to the dinner table, knows each by name, and he brings one with him EVERYWHERE he goes. James. James is RED. James is the MAN. Ask him to deny ALL but one, and James is the winner each & everytime. Don't even *THINK* about leaving without James, because there *WILL* be hell to pay.

So anyways..
Usually DysdHubby gets out of the house for work before BoyKing gets up. Yesterday he didn't make it. He piddled around, and sure enough out comes BoyKing rubbing the sleep from his eyes. DysdHubby HATES to say goodbye to the BoyKing. The scene is usually something like:
DADDY DON'T GOOOO!!! PWEEEZE!! NOOO!! ::SLOBBER-SNORT-BAWL:: ::TEARS STREAMING:: **NOOOOO STAY**
Okay, you get the idea, it is not a pretty picture. So. After much negotiations on DysdHubby's part, the BoyKing agreed to let him go to work. He wipes his tiny tearstreaked face and suddenly, his eyes widen, and he runs to his bedroom. DysdHubby and I exchange shoulder shrugs. BoyKing emerges with his treasured James. He commands Daddy: "Pick Me Up". Daddy obeys, scoops him up and sighs: "Sweetie, I really have to go". Sniffling, BoyKing gingerly opens Daddy's coat, locating the secret inside pocket. He gently nestles James into the pocket, looks deep into his daddies eyes, and softly says "You take James with you...Okay?" And we are suddenly reduced to a collective pile of Dysfunctional mush. And James? He got an exciting day trip vacation, via First Class Coat Pocket.