The Library

Today was gorgeous, I decided to take advantage of it and take Erik to the library. This is an appropriate outing for my book obsessed child. I mean OBSESSED, he goes no where without books....even in the bath this child has a book. We are lucky enough to have a library about a 15 minute walk from our our house.

We loaded up into the stroller and off we went.

I haven't walked anywhere in a while........I should walk more.

We arrived at 4:30ish. The place was FULL of after school kids running a muck. Seriously, a muck. I haven't been in a library to find an actual book for pleasure in several years. All the research I did these last years in school consisted of online databases and text books. I was surprised at how high tech the library was...there was a cafe! In the library!!! There were tutors just out and about for the children to access. Pretty cool!

Erik and I quickly found our way to the baby books which were conveniently located in little baskets for babies to crawl around and pull out...SMART! I sat Erik next to a basket and he went to town pulling out book after book while I looked for some to check out for him. He was in book heaven I tell you. He didn't even care that I wasn't reading to him, he was just happy to leaf through books himself.

Erik had never been turned loose with so many books, he was enthralled.  I was happy to just sit back and watch him.



 When he started to pull those books off the shelf above him, the ones not meant for babies, I decided to intervene and put him in the middle of the rug, and allow him to roll to the basket of his choice.
I put him in the middle of the rug and turned around to clean up the pile we left on the floor.  When I turned back around this is what I saw.......

A little Hispanic girl rubbing Erik's bald head...as if he were a Buddha, or a good luck charm. She was trying to be sneaky about it and sit behind him, maybe she thought he wouldn't notice.  She couldn't stop herself...she rubbed and rubbed and rubbed.  Erik sat there, not knowing what to think of this strange child rubbing his head.  He tried to hand her books, she just rubbed his head.  He flapped his arms, he smiled, cooed, laughed....and she rubbed and rubbed.  I finally moved him to another spot so he could enjoy some books and not be "rubbed".  I turned around to put the rest of the books away and this time when I turned back she had multiplied!

I'm sure Erik is thinking..."Oh no!  TWO rubbers!"  These little girls never moved from his side (where was their mother??  who knows).  I don't think these children had ever had a book read to them, I began to read to Erik and they were glued to my side. 

We got up and moved to another part of the library and they followed us. 

I set Erik down again in another section by more baskets and the rubbing continued, but by now Erik was not going to be the only one rubbed......he was going to do some rubbing of his own!

But.....before we left, she got in a couple really good rubs for luck!

                        

Salad Places

It's been really hot here. So hot that turning the oven on in my little house is unthinkable. So we say let's go out!
Going out to eat with a loud, food slinging baby, also unthinkable.

We've been avoiding restaurants lately - because the whole experience is just too stressful for me.
I used to be a waitress at a place called Pioneer Pies (all you Oklahoma people will know that!) very similar to Marie Calender's. I'd see families come in with toddlers and try to send mind messages with my eyes to the hostess.

"Not in my section! Not in my section!"

She always sat them in my section.

Oh Man!!!! It was like a tornado went through there - and I always thought the parents were so rude to allow their child to throw food all over the floor!! I now know, it cannot be helped.

The food thrower (insert Erik's name here), is a pro. He can't walk yet - but he has the quick aim of a practiced sports figure. Things fly from his hands to the floor. I've starting tethering his sippy cup to the highchair. That's working for now, but food can't be tied down.

So, we can't NOT go out just because we have a child - but there are certain places we just can't go (Sam's Chowder House - I miss you). Salad Places to the rescue!! You know what I'm talking about - Fresh Choice, Soupersalad, Sweet Tomato's. Different name, same concept.

As a grown up with out children I steered very clear of these establishments, because they were FULL of children. I always wondered why.....do children like SALAD?? VEGGIES?? Not that I've noticed at school, can't be much different at home. Nope.....but in these places they can fill their plates with an assortment of cheese, olives, croutons, and anything else that goes in a salad but isn't technically a vegetable. I saw one child go by me tonight with a plate piled high with shredded cheese, just cheese. I think she had a dinner of cheese - and the dessert bar.

In this place there is chaos, there are loud children (louder than mine!), and there is no waiting waiting waiting for your food - you just get up and get whatever you want.

This is a haven for parents of young children. As I looked around I noticed the place was packed with college students (it's also cheap), young families, and seniors. No young couples in love holding hands, no families with children who are older than 5 and don't fling food.

I am shocked at my willingness to go there. I never enjoyed it before. Because it was just too many little children, and I get that all day long. I used to want peaceful quiet dinners. Now I'd just like to eat while my food is still warm.
Here my child can drop his food, he can yell, he can be...........a toddler. No one gives us dirty looks, because their children are doing it to.

I now understand why some restaurants play their music so loud. It's to drown out the shrieks of toddlers with newly discovered voices, the tantrums of two years wanting chocolate milk, and the soft sound of mother's pulling out their hair. Bless you, family restaurants for not cursing the hundred crackers on the floor under my child's chair, I promise I remember those waitress days - and I top well now. Thank you for being here for those of us with screeching, food throwing children!

I seem to be letting go of many things - if you see me going anywhere near a Chuck E. Cheese ....... Ever......Please intervene!!!