Humility at the Library

Tuesday was a very humbling day at the library. We only had the car for one hour and I had two stops to make, one of them being the library. Maybe it's the spring air but I was feeling crazy enough to go without the stroller for the adventurous Happy. While I was getting the kiddos out of the car I decided at the last minute to try the Monkey harness for the first time with Happy. Demand loved it last year, which lead to my first problem. Demand started to throw a fit because she couldn't use the monkey this fit led to my second problem which I will mention later.

First off let me say that I understand that many people don't like baby harnesses, but it keeps my kids safe in parking lots and that's what I care about. However, I stiill wait for the day when someone has the nerve to express their objection I of course will then express something myself.

Happy was baffled yet intrigued but the Monkey backpack he was now wearing. I tried to get him to walk but he just stood there and as I gently nudged the monkey tail Happy fell right over. I scratched the idea of having him walk and just carried him inside and tried again once we got in. The same thing happened, he fell flat on his face. Now I just feel like an idiot dragging a baby around by a leash of course no one knows its' his first time using the contraption. Demand headed straight for the kiddie computers and Happy wanted to follow her. I had six books reserved for homeschooling (We start on Monday!) which was the whole reason for the trip so I let Happy sit at the computer while I ran and grabbed the books off the reserved shelf. The rest of the trip was spent keeping Happy from pressing buttons, pulling on cords, climbing on the computers...at one point I managed to distract him at a puzzle table but Demand wanted help with the computer game. She of course has no idea how to play it and is wearing a headset so I have to guess at what to do in the middle of helping her I see Happy (monkey backpack and all) standing on a table across the room.

Good grief.

I brought him back to the computer area and finally got him distracted with a wooden toy when I a woman approached me and said, "Do you own a Saturn?" First of all that sentence never ends well. No one ever says do you have Saturn, because someone is stuffing it with money or even better cleaning out the garbage. No. After confirming it was mine she told me that my door was open. Not only did she say my door was open but she said it like I could possibly be crazy and perhaps she's onto something. Out I went to close the door which DEMAND had forgot to close while having a fit over the monkey. I'm not blaming her I know I'm responsible for closing doors but I was mad that the door didn't get closed because of her fit.

Finally I decided to check out our books. While using the automatic check-out Happy and monkey were right beside me. At this point he discovered the copy machine which also happened to be connected to a computer. While I'm trying to scan books he's grabbing a computer mouse or playing with buttons. Who knows what he did to the machine.

Time to go! Demand couldn't hear me of course because of the headset so I had to grab my bags and Happy and venture three feet away to get her attention, then Happy wanted to play with the computers again. His monkey got one gentle tug and down he went.

And with that we made an ungraceful exit back to the car. Notice how very little of our time was spent with books. Someday I would like to take Demand back just the two of us so we can actually play some of the computer games without distractions. No matter what I will be bringing the stroller for any library trips in the near future.