Each week we brave the outside world and take a trip to the Library. You might not think this is any big deal but you aren't Me and you don't have my three kids!
1.We have to cross a street. It is a busy street and my kids do not hold hands. They are all in their own worlds dancing around and looking in all different directions. I am the mother hen. I am freaking out and trying to keep them all next to me and under my wings so they don't step off the curb and get ran over. Or so they don't bother the other people crossing the street too. The people sitting at the bus stop are always watching us. The light changes to walk and everyone gets so excited. Some of my children can walk in a straight line and stay in the cross walk but some of them do not understand what that line is for and which side is in!!! I always give a sigh of relief when we get to the other side.
2. We then have two pathways to choose from. They both end at the same spot, the entrance for the Library. The right path goes under some trees that drop plops of the raunchiest smelling seed pods. They are all squished on this path and then your shoes stink. I like to try and not step on them and I like to enjoy the trees and greenery on this path. I usually see a squirrel on the way. The left path goes right along a planter box type thing made out of cement and it is wide enough to walk on. It is only about a foot and a half off the ground so the kids like to run along this instead of the path. Usually this is where homeless people hangout and they sit on the cement path thing. So as my kids are running along they either have to jump off or go around the homeless people. The homeless people sometimes ignore them and sometimes make a comment or two. Sometimes they are annoyed at a flock of children running right at them as they just try to sit there and rest. Occasionally there are some teenagers hanging out or a drunk or two. My littlest one usually always lags behind and is known to fall off the cement wall as she is running along. No one will hold my hand; they all have to do it themselves.
3.We enter the library and we need to be quiet. We return any books we have through the little slot and someone always takes off before we are through. To get to the children's room we go up the stairs. The elevator is OFF limits. This rule is finally followed after a few kids got in the elevator and the doors shut. Very scary. They all stay off the elevator now.
4. My oldest heads right to the mystery books (Fiction), Nancy Drew and Box Car Children, Hardy Boys and Encyclopedia Brown. I don't worry, I know where he is.
My next child goes right to the videos. She always wants a Pokemon video. She comes and finds me and whines and bugs me and tries to get me to say yes to the video she picked out. I would rather check out videos that are educational or more family oriented. I usually say no to the first 5-6 choices she comes to me with.
The littlest one always runs to the puzzle corner. She can pull out more puzzles in one minute then a monkey using its hands and tail. She also thinks the rocking horse is hers. If another child is on it she will stare at them until they get off. She always finds the little hard cover books and carries them around. She also is a magnet for the computer. She will probably work in a button factory when she is older. Sometimes I find her talking to the librarian. They are always nice and they can't understand most of what she says. On the librarian's desk is a container of scrap paper and the cutest just the right size pencils. She takes a pencil and a paper and writes on it. When we leave she puts them back, the paper that is scribbled on too. I can keep one eye on her and whatever I'm doing and it is small enough that I can always hear her.
5. My kids love to talk to strangers. I say, "Don't talk to strangers", but they love to talk to everyone. They don't know the difference between a stranger and a STRANGER! My kids can strike up a conversation with most anyone. Especially if they are near the line, (notice I didn't say IN LINE. They don't stand in line they dance around and wiggle but I have yet to see them stand in line), everyone is fair game to them. I can't believe the plethora of information that comes out of their mouths. By the time we part with a stranger they have told them EVERYTHING about our family and even our fish and cat that adopted us.
6. Today we ventured down stairs to the main floor. This is a much quieter place then the children's section upstairs. I went right over to the back of the library and grabbed the book I needed. The kids were trailing behind me. It took less then 2 min. We walked back to the front of the library to check out. In that short time Amy somehow along the way picked up someone's soda and took a sip. I found this out from a lady that came running after us and loudly saying, something like EXCUSE ME, Your baby just drank my soda, I wanted you to know because I have a cold. She said this very loud and kept repeating it. I was so shocked and stammered something like Sorry after I figured out what and who she was talking about. I didn't know what to say to her and it was embarrassing. I hope she doesn't catch Amy's cold either but I didn't tell her this. I hope the lady didn't have anything deadly or have Herpes! So I told my daughter not to drink other peoples stuff and she will get germs. Of course she didn't really understand or care. It is funny now but in the library I was still in shock. YUCK.
7. My little monkey always climbs on the metal detectors at the entrance while I'm distracted trying to check out. The librarian has to say, "PLEASE GET OFF OF THERE!" and all the mother's looks to see if it is their child. Itisn't, it is my child again. It is hard to get all the books checked out and on our way before the kids are already out the door running down the path. This is me yelling, "WAIT FOR MOMMY!!!" Three bags of books and a crazy look on my face, but also a look of relief because we survived the library!
8. Now to get passed the bums and across the busy street again to the car!
Next week we will brave the Library again. Whew!
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