The Greatest Place on Earth will Only Break Your Heart

Some people are into Tikal, others, are Machu Picchu-types. For Max, his Taj Mahal (currently) is Choo-Choo Bob's. Not only do they have every train you could ever imagine for kids of all ages and multiple tables filled with tracks and trains where kids can just come to, uh, you know, play and a super-liberal policy about said kids playing with every damn thing in site. Except for that 300 hundred dollar O scale engine! Max! Max! MAX!

On top of all that, they also have a room where train addicted children and their enabling parents can have birthday parties. Tonight, Max's homeboy, Remy, had his fifth birthday party at this train-centric wonderland. Pizza and cake were provided, however, the only sustenance Max needed was quality time with trains, trains, Thomas the Train and some more trains.

After a few bites of cake and some more trains, it was time to go:

"Max, let's go."

Max runs off, "Noooooooooooo!"

We dress Max while he's distracted by a train and he's only crying a little.Getting out to the car was a full-on, leg-flailing, screaming mass of toddler.

As we drove away, Katie and I stifled laughs as Max called out to Choo-Choo Bob's: "Noooooooooooo! Choo-Choo Booooob's!! I want to stay with youuuuuuu! I want to stay with you, Choo-Choo Booooooob's!!!!! NooooooooooOOOOOOoooo!"

By the time we got home, it wasn't entirely clear that Max wanted to go back to Bob's, scarred as he was by their separation. When offered a party at Bob's, he declined, probably thinking that he didn't want to enjoy Bob's again, only to wrenched from train heaven. So, to Remy, we say Happy Birthday and thanks for traumatizing our kid!

Here's Max, at the easel, wearing his Brother's pants, pondering how best to express his pain.