Simplicity- Step Eight

We are always looking for fun things to do with Addie that are age appropriate and won't break the bank. One thing that I remember my mother doing with us as girls was taking a weekly trip to the library. We would walk there (it was a five minute walk from our house) and spend a couple of hours doing school work and looking through the books. We became friends with the librarians and looked forward to our time spent there.

In September of '09, we took Addie to Toddler Time at the library. However, during our first week, she caught a bug, and because it was around the time of the swine flu scare, Brian decided that we would not go back for a while.

Yesterday, since everything was already done and taken care of in the house, I decided to take a little trip to the library. There were no programs going on. It was just my little girl and me. She climbed into one of the chairs at the tables on her own (I know I need to let her grow up, but it isn't easy seeing your baby show some independence), and I would get a book, read it to her (she would turn the pages), put it away, and get another. We spent about an hour there (and read every board book in one of the baskets) before I decided that we needed to get going. We picked out a few books, videos, and a DVD on potty training and went on our way.

There was something wonderful about the library that I had forgotten about. Kristi from Team Mac has mentioned the library several times in her posts, and how much fun Julia and Mark have while there. It brought back great memories for me, and that is something that I want Addie to remember as a part of her growing up as well. There is a whole storehouse of books, videos, DVDs, and other resources that can be borrowed. And that brought me back to the original Simplicity post from December 31. Learn to enjoy things without owning them. There are so many books that I want Addie to enjoy, but it would be impossible to buy them all. A library offers access to a plethora of materials for her education and entertainment.

But we are not just limited to the library. There are parks, beaches, festivals, and other things that can be enjoyed for free or for a nominal price without having to own anything. As I drove home, I began thinking about taking Addie to the park for picnics (when she decides that she is tired of Mac 'n Cheese) and the beach to play in the sand. The park is free and the beach is a $2 per vehicle charge. Local farmers also allow the public to come and pick strawberries and blueberries as their picking seasons approach.

Last night, Addie just sat in the living room going through our library books. We had read some so many times that she memorized a few words and phrases and would say them repeatedly as she was going through the books. It is refreshing to see how something so simple can bring so much joy and literally hours of pleasure to some one so small.

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Later today, we are off to the doctor's for Addie's 2 year appointment. I am really hoping there are no shots. At her last appointment, she almost ended up on the floor after seeing the nurse walk in. If my Aunt Elsa had not been standing in front of Addie, I have no doubt that she would have jumped off the exam table.