The Library

One of our favorite new places to go at least twice a week is the Old Bridge Public Library. It only takes about 8 or 9 minutes to drive to from my house and it is right across the street from my husband's Taekwondo school.

I wish I had pictures of being at the library, but traveling anywhere with two babies is a lot of work, and taking a camera just isn't possible right now, maybe in a couple of months I will be able to swing it. We shall see.

Now, we've been taking Julia to a library class since she was about 6 months old. We actually would go with a bunch of moms from church to the Monmouth County Library right off route 9...sometimes we still go there to meet up with some friends, but now that I travel with two it is easier to go to a library that is only a few minutes away rather than 25 minutes away! Or sometimes the ride back is not so pleasant hearing Mark cry because he wants to nurse!

I love the OB Library because the class we got to is about 15-20 minutes long and it is from ages 0 months to 24 months. There are so many other moms there who are like me that have 2 babies about 17 months apart so we have lots in common and we all have an older daughter, I am the only one with a baby boy though. It's neat to see how we all have a Snap in Go for the baby because of the carseat, and how we manage to hold our toddlers little hand...and these moms are so friendly and down to earth, and one of which just has the nicest smile. Isn't it refreshing to be around people who smile?

Well, now Julia loves library because of the simple fact that our librarian is just as sweet as can be, she does song after song, book after book, never reprimands any child or parent, because as you know toddlers like to get up during story time, (the other library was not so forgiving in this dept.) and she does bubbles at the end of every class and in her huge closet there is a Big Clifford the Big red Dog which Julia loves. Our car ride consists of "Bubbles?" "Doggy?" "Books?"

So, I pack the kids in the car, I grab the diaper bag and Snap n Go (every mom of an infant with a carseat should have one...easy transport and so light) I stop at DD (dunkin donuts of course) for a small decaf coffee and off we go. I prep Julia in the car by telling her where we are going, how she needs to whisper and behave, how there will be so many friends and books to see, we name all her friends...Riley, Jen, Clifford the Big red dog...there are lots of boys in our class but I forget their names...mommy brain will do that to you).

Then we arrive, I snap Mark's carseat in the snap in go, I hold on tight to julia's hand and we walk up to the big automatic doors...I tell her, "Julia, you need to whisper, many people are reading books and studying and they need quiet." She puts her hand over her mouth and says, "Be quiet." So I pat myself on the back and we walk over to the kids section. There we play with barn, puzzles, and blocks, and sit at the kid tables to color until its story time. Then when our Miss Marilyn comes over and announces it is story time and all the moms and kids go into the classroom, which is neatly decorated and has lots of windows, colorful carpets, a felt board and painted walls. We sing all our favorite songs, "Wind, wind little baby" "I love you" "Row row row your boat" "Where is thumbkin?" the list goes on and on...Julia makes us all laugh after every book she announces "Bubbles!" and I whisper in her ear..."Not yet, be patient..." Then it's bubble time and clifford the big red dog comes out and each kid gets to pet him.

When class is over Julia gives Miss Marilyn a high five before she leaves and says thank you, after mommy's prompting. Some moms are talking in a circle and Julia walks over and puts her hand over her mouth and says "Sssshhh, quiet." Thank goodness the moms laugh..."I was telling her as we walked in about being quiet, and now of course she is the quiet police!" We all laugh and share stories of our morning, our kids, and our day.

As we leave the library...I feel so happy. We spent a great time, almost an hour of reading, playing, meeting new friends, and getting out of the house...as we are about to leave and pass through the doors Julia turns around and shouts, not whispers, "BYE BOOKS!!!" so much for my pep talk.

I love the library.