A simple trip to the library - well not so simple

Why does it have to be so complicated?

All I wanted to do was make good on a promise and take Caleb back to the library so he could play with this puppy toy they have in the kid’s section.

You see last night, many of the items I had requested from the public library were ready for me to pick up. So I ran out after supper, with Caleb only ,to go get the items. I told Caleb before going in that we were not going in to spend the day playing – just get our stuff and get out. He agreed. For the most part he was really great about it. Except then he eye-spied this new puppy in a doghouse toy that has never been there before. He was all over it. I told him that we could come back tomorrow with Olivia if Nathan took an early nap.

Sure enough Nathan took an early nap and Caleb remembered. So off to keep my promise we went.

You know what? The library is only like 8 blocks from here. Amazing what I have to do to get three kiddos out the door for a 45-minute playtime at the local library. Nathan slept thru snack time so I had to bring something for him in case he got hungry. Every needs a juice cup. Olivia took her socks off – now where are they? Caleb has his shoes on the wrong feet. Nathan needs a diaper change. Olivia needs to go potty, Caleb needs to go potty. I need to go potty. Now get jackets on. Olivia’s zipper is stuck. Caleb is frustrated because he can’t get his snaps snapped. Nathan is crying because the stairs are blocked off.

Ok found the socks for Olivia, shoes too. Oh Olivia left the toilet seat up and did not flush. Guess what? While finding her socks and shoes, Nathan goes in there playing in the “water” AUGH! YUCK. Nice.

Ok wash him up. Get the snaps on Caleb. Shoes on everyone’s feet – on the correct feet. Out the door. New porch is slippery – don’t fall!

Oh look snow! No one listens to me they are playing with the snow. Ok. Olivia is in her seat, Caleb in his, Nathan screaming to get into his seat harness (as it is just about EVERY single time he gets in the van – little turd) It has been like 20 minutes to get out the door. Now lets see how long to get out the driveway?

Back up – oh Hi mailman –good thing I looked. Jared (the mailman) is a celebrity in this town – would hate to fess up to being the one who ran him over.

Get to the library. Park van, open doors. Olivia seat belt is not on. I know I put it on her – she says, “I took it off!” Before or after I parked? I ask. She says nothing. Which is code for “whatever I was not suppose to do – yup that is what I did. Aren’t I cute?”

Get in the building. Olivia and Nathan head over to the kitchen play set in the corner. Caleb immediately heads over to the puppy toy in the opposite side of the room. Olivia pushes Nathan over saying this is my kitchen! Jeepers.

No other kids are there so we have the place all to ourselves. Miss Sandy and us, the librarian whom I have known for years. She knows all my kids names and approx. ages and interests. She used to comment about how polite David was (years ago when I only had 1 kid and had time to be nice.)

Boy your kids are getting big she says. No kidding - all they do is eat!

Everyone is happily playing with a toy and then I hear it. Olivia begins to grunt (she is wearing a pull-up because she is supposed to be potty trained) I say, “Do you have to go poop Olivia? The library has a bathroom we can use.” “Nope” she says and proceeds to fill her pants. Now in her defense she has had the most stool issues I have ever seen in a kid. Probably I think this because she is not my kid, but jeez. She doesn’t go for 10 or 11 days, and then she bows out. So her Dr recommend that she gets stool softeners and laxatives daily. Still doesn’t go. I guess all she needs is an inconvenient trip to the library. Because now she is going to go in her pants.

From previous inconvenient poops I have learned a few things about the library bathroom. For one you can hear EVERYTHING going on in there when you are in the children’s section. The toilet auto flushes when it feels like it and it is loud and scary. Frequently there is no soap. Worst of all worsts there is no hand towels just the auto hand dryer that is about as loud as a freight train and is also auto activated by movement. Is now the time I remind myself how unsanitary the bathroom floor is and that there is no lid for the public toilet. Nowhere for Nathan to be while I deal with Olivia’s ordeal? Add eye roll.

Ok so it has to get done. We all go in together. No exaggeration the hand dryer goes on and off 9 times. The toilet flushes 6 but Praise God there is Soap!

Nathan crawls all over the DISGUSTING floor, gets to the toilet 3 times during the ordeal. Caleb is covering his ears from the noise and standing there with body tense and teeth clenched. Guess what I don’t have in with all my stuff? That's right folks. No extra pull-up or underwear for Olivia. Ok, well you get to go commando kiddo. Hope you like the breeze. In the days when I only had 1 kid this would have meant the end of our trip to the library. But not today. That is what you get for telling me “nope” and then pooping your pants. We go back in the kid’s section and finish our play date with the library and go home when we planned. After all, I have to get my times worth. I should at least be able to be out of the house as long as it took to get out of it!

As I drive home I smile to myself and hear the song Pastor Bartz talked about months ago. “You’re gonna miss this” Yup and I will probably never forget it either.