We {Heart} the Library

A bit of an embarrassing confession:  before earlier this week, I had not set foot in a library since 1999.  It's actually shocking to see that year in print, to write it out and realize that equates to THIRTEEN YEARS.  I love books (just ask my sisters - and yes, M&M's! - but that's a different story for another time), but clearly love them more when they are shelved five steps away from a Starbucks. Barnes and Noble, you are genius.

So one afternoon this week, during what I call the "golden hour", (aka "what do I do with my kids between nap time/picking them up from daycare and dinner,") my now 99% defunct short term memory actually came through for me and recalled a library I had passed by recently...YES.  Something new to do instead of playing knee hockey in the hallway, shooting one billion shots at C while simultaneously strong-arming N from grabbing the puck...DOUBLE YES.

And off we went.

But first - superfluous mug shots:

C, quite dapper.

N, who is thinking "I just pick pocketed $20 from your purse but I'm cute, right?"

Thirteen years ago, I'm pretty sure libraries still rocked the card catalog and looking up titles on the single computer meant you had to be somewhat proficient in DOS command language.  So when we walked in and I saw a line up of terminals that looked like the self check-out area at Safeway, I *may* have gotten a bit excited at the possibility there may be a Starbucks around the corner. (No such luck - but there WAS a cafe!)

First things first:  signing up C for a library card.  Do you remember getting your first library card?  I do.  I also remember thinking I wanted to max out that puppy with as many books as I could.  Library card = power!  And apparently you don't have to be five anymore, so C picked out a card style from the choices offered, then gripped his new plastic gateway to books tighter than a hockey stick.  We beelined to the children's section strait away as I began to plot how to get Andy to sit down with the kids to read books, buying me some time to go wander around. 

Ha.

The kids spotted them first:  two computers, set up at toddler height station, with toddler appropriate keyboards.  In that instant, I knew any hopes of browsing through the stacks were long.gone.  LONG.GONE. 

It took N maybe 30 seconds to freeze up the first computer. Which meant he immediately charged around to the other side of the table to elbow his way onto the one C was using.  Anticipating high pitched screeching to commence, it was time to see if we could distract N with the entire purpose of our trip, reading some books.

And here's how that worked out.



The right way to use the library computer.




N is not impressed.  And wants to call his lawyer to find out why he's being held against his will, at the other end of the room, whilst being forced to look at "books."

 

"Seriously Mom.  Let's get real.  You know and I know that I'm going to make a break for it in 2.5 seconds."



Reconnaissance in progress - line of sight has been established.

That's the "new walker" jog N has going on.  Top speed: .00342 m.p.h



"EEEEEEEEEE ahhhhhhhh ooh ssccrrreccchhhh".  Which, when translated from Toddler-ese into English means  "Hey guys, here I am!  My turn!  MY TURN! MOOOVVVEEE or I will scratch your face off!"



I call this one, "The Most Patient Big Brother in the World"

We actually made it out with a handful of books and after spending 30 minutes trying to figure out how to check them out, we headed to the car, our first family trip to the library coming to a somewhat successful end.  As in, no one was crying and we had books in our possession.  Clearly feeling a tad bit over confident, we decided to press our luck and have dinner out at Sonoma Chicken Coop.

That was...not so successful.  We'll leave it at that.

This morning C asked if we could go back to the "Li-berry" today, a feeling that I can safely say is better than finding a Starbucks next to the books on tape ANY DAY.