Storytime at the Library

Can I just say how ANNOYING some people can be!

I recently promised myself that I would try really hard to take the kids to the library once a week for storytime. They love it and it gets us out of the house. It was kind of a rough morning waking up late, finding clean clothes that match, and trying to get the kids out the door. You know, the usual. So I'm in a sour mood by the time we all get into the car, and then Jacob cried the whole way to the library (ok- so it's only 7 minutes away, but still). So I was trying to plan it all out: Take Audrey to her storytime class, find a seat on the comfy chairs and nurse Jacob happy for a few minutes before Kierra's class starts and I need to pay attention to her. Okay, go!

So I get Audrey to her class, find a comfy seat, get Jacob out of the stroller, and wait! Kierra where are you running off to!!! So I put the stroller behind my seat and put the nursing blanket on the seat to save my place while I try to catch Kierra who keeps running farther and farther away (sooo unlike her). I find Kierra on the other side of the library who says, "Leave me alone, Mommy," which usually means she needs to poop. So we head to the bathroom while I'm trying to figure out how to take her diaper off and get her up on the potty and wipe her, etc. all while holding an infant. Luckily, they had a baby bench seat thingy next to the pot complete with a strap. Phew! That'll hold him for a few minutes if he doesn't squirm too much. So Kierra does her business (yeah, Kierra!) and we go back to the storytime area right before they start. What do we find? The whole library is absolutely full, standing room only, and someone is SITTING ON MY BLANKET!!

How am I supposed to feed Jacob and keep Kierra close enough to me but where she can actually see what's going on? I'm so peeved and fuming. How could someone not see that I was saving that place? And then just sit down on top of someone's blanket? After a few minutes, she looks around and sees me standing beside the stroller and trying to keep Kierra entertained (because she can't even see what's going on and it's not like we can just leave because we have to wait for Audrey to come out of her class) and then she notices that she's sitting on something, so she KINDLY removes the blanket and hangs it over the back of the chair. Oh, thanks, don't overdo yourself. I've only got a hungry little boy to nurse and it's just so easily done while standing! LUCKILY, he was in good spirits and was just fine to be held. But what to do when I have to put him in his seat to go home and he's still hungry, so he cries the whole way home too? Ugh. Finally it was all over, and I was trying to show Audrey where we were without moving into the crowd, and in the process lost Kierra. Yikes! Get me out of this madhouse!! Did I mention that I can get pretty claustrophobic around crowds, especially if I'm stressed out?


Whew. Vent over.

I guess if I had been better prepared (i.e. had clothes actually clean and put away, kids fed and happy, etc.) before we left, the blanket incident would've just rolled off my back. Oh well. And the kids all enjoyed themselves, so all's well that ends well, right?