Melissa's Place

A Quick Trip to the Library

On our way home from swimming lessons, I thought I'd stop in for a quick trip to the library. NOT to look at books, only to pick up two videos on hold and collect Cole's first Reader's Club prize. I had both kids with me, but I still figured it'd be a quick trip if I just went in and did these two things.

I took Amelia in her car seat and Cole held my hand. We went straight to the room where the holds are kept and I took them to the librarian and we checked them out. Then, we showed her Cole's Reading Club log and she said we had to go upstairs to the Children's floor to collect our prize. That is when I should have just gone home. But I didn't.

We ambled over to the elevator, got in and Cole pushed the button. The elevator gave that sudden negative-g feeling and Cole got worried. We quickly got out of the elevator and found the Children's Department librarian. She gave us a poster and some stickers for Cole. Amelia began to cry. I popped the soother back in.

We went back to the elevator. Cole said he didn't want to go in the elevator. I said I couldn't carry Amelia and hold his hand on the stairs, so we'd have to use the elevator. He agreed hesitantly but said he was worried. When the doors shut and the elevator began to move, he began to cry. Amelia began to wail again. I popped the soother back in. The elevator stopped and the doors opened. I scooped Cole up in my free arm and hobbled towards the exit with two screaming children. Everyone looked at me pitifully. If only they knew the rest of the story to come. They would have saved their pity.

Cole agreed to walk when we arrived at the exit doors and he pushed the automatic door openers. We walked through the parking lot and were nearly at the car when Cole said, "I have to pee." I could hardly believe my luck. I said, "You have to pee?!?" He said, "Yes. I have to pee."

I looked around at the bushes and shrubs and then looked back at the library. We made a break for it. I said, "Hold it, Buddy. Hold it." And we ran towards the library. Inside, we ran to the washrooms. I plunked the screaming Amelia on the floor and ran into a stall and pulled down Cole's pants and plunked him onto the toilet. Yay! We'd made it.

I turned to close the stall door and Cole's penis got away from us and sprayed all over his pants!

I hadn't brought the diaper bag into the library. I weighed the options of letting him walk buck naked back to the car, or making him wear wet clothes. Then I saw Amelia's yellow receiving blanket on her lap. I took it and folded it in half to form a big yellow triangle. Then I knotted it around Cole's waist, toga-style. I put Amelia's soother back in.

And we walked back to the car some forty five minutes (and several gray hairs) later.