Library Selections: Pink Pup and Little Pip

We finally made it to the local library recently.  I love the library, but I have no business taking out books.  I always end up with a fine.  Back home, in Ohio, the library would forgive fines once a year.  That's great, because I found a book in a box once that I had for 6 years.  Horrible, because no one else can check out that book.  I eventually did return it.  But, the library already forgave and forgot it years before.  Not in the DC area though.  If you have a fine, there is no cap for how high your fines can go, and then they turn you over to a collection agency!  Whoa!

As I've gotten older, I've gotten more responsible.  I learned that if I just take the books back before the due date that I don't have to deal with the whole late fee thing.  And then, I can take out more books without shelling out a bunch of cash!  I'm brilliant before my time, I know.

Anyhow, after we got a library card, we picked out a library book to read to Lily.  I wanted one with pictures of animals she has seen before and pictures of animals she hasn't seen before.  Last week, we got "Little Pink Pup", which is a true story.  This week, we picked up "What's in the Egg, Little Pip?"  I have to admit, the covers are a huge draw!

Storytime at the Library

 We made our first visit to a library story time last week.  I was really nervous to take Lily, because she's not a sit-in-one-spot-and-read-to-me kinda gal.  She's a balls-to-the-wall-pirate kinda gal.  You can thank her mom for that.  However, I'm on vacation and terrified of staying in the house all day with the baby who gets bored and cranky.  There must be adventure.  It's adventure or death.  See, I told you that she's a pirate.

She happened to wake up from her nap in time for me to throw everything in the car and go.  I love how we all can just roll into these kid things whenever we want.  This because the person who creates the schedule is not capable of reading a clock (analog or digital).  It includes a car ride, which Lily has a love-hate relationship with.  She loves going places, but she hates the car trip there because of the car seat.  Lately, she's been so excited when I pick her up out of the car seat.  She gives me big kisses and hugs.  It's hilarious.  Poor beanie baby.

The librarian running the program read stories to us, read stories with us, acted out nursery rhymes, and blew bubbles.  I mean, any program that includes bubbles is a winner in our book.  And, this is a free program to boot.  There were lots of toddlers, a few crawlers, and a couple of babies around Lily's age.  She really liked being handed her own copy of one of the books to read.  And, she really liked the bubbles.  She also liked seeing all sorts of different people. 

Mommy win.

Used Glider/Rocker Score

So, one of the whole bits of the crunchy mindset is trying to recycle, repurpose, or reuse in an effort to reduce what we waste.  Once I got pregnant, my focus shifted more into reducing chemical exposure to myself and my family and less about recycling.  But, I've purchase quite a few used things recently.  We've been gifted or purchased used toys, used baby clothes, used mama clothes, and a bunch of other used baby gear.

There are times when it's just safer, cleaner, and easier to order it new on Amazon.  There are, however, just some things I can't justify the cost of new.  Take a new glider/rocker for example.  With ottoman, these things usually run in the ballpark of $400.

My mom had the rocker she used when I was a baby some 30 years ago fixed.  That broke right after Lily was born, so we bought a $280 rocker/recliner on the cheap.  That thing is way too big for Lily's new nursery in the fourth place I've lived since getting pregnant.  So, it lives in my mom's living room area downstairs.  I have a big blue arm chair up in Lily's room, which is now a part of our routine 2-3 times per day.  When we moved in, it wasn't a part of our routine at all.  The couch in the living room was, but now being on the couch is distracting.  It is also hard to make a $400 purchase if you're not sure you're going to use it regularly in a few weeks.

Over the past few months, I've used a few different gliders at various play dates.  At a party Friday night, she passed right out after 2 seconds of being rocked.  And, I wanted one.  I wanted one bad.  But, I didn't want to part with $400 to get a set.  One of our daddy friends, Christian, mentioned that he bought his glider as a model mark down at Buy Buy Baby for $80.  I wanted a glider for $80!  "Check Craigslist!"  He said.  Duh, Mommy!

Glider.  Check.  Rocking baby.  Check.  Feet up.  Check.  Sleepy baby.  Check.