That really was a funny article.  Glad you told us to read to the end because I would not have (being that I lack the "finish what you start" gene)!

Our daughter has loved Thomas the Tank engine trains since about 9 mo.  She used them as objects- learning their colors, parts, and names for sorting purposes at first, but at 1 and 1/2 they started talking to each other and were her "friends".   Kind of a (good mix) I think. 

Thanks for sharing!

RebeccaM