Who Needs a Library Card?

Friday is Gymnastics Day.

Gymnastics and Errand Day.

Gymnastics, Errand and (ugh) McDonald's PlayLand with MaggiePie's Best Friend Day.

And then, after all that, if a major meltdown hasn't occurred, and she hasn't fallen fast asleep in her carseat...

Movie Store Day for Mommy's Friday night entertainment! (Jealous much?)

So, as is tradition, today after gymnastics, PlayLand, and a gallon of Purell, we made our way to the almighty Costco. Mecca.

We like to make an event of it. After MP proudly flashes our card to a greeter, we take care of the first order of business, wheeling DIRECTLY, do not pass go, to the kids books. Yay! The Costco Free Library!

MP knows the drill - she picks out two or three books with the understanding they will be carefully read and returned before we check out. Cheap, you say? Why, yeesss.

It isn't that I wouldn't actually buy MP a book. Books are pretty high up there on my list of most treasured material possessions. It's that:

a. She already has more books than most adults.
b. I want her to understand that she doesn't get something every time we go to the grocery store, or the book store, or the toy store. That most of the time, we just look. I'm happy to report, it's worked (for the most part).
c. She's trained well. MP knows to be careful with the page turning, and not handle with sticky hands. (After all, eventually, someone is actually going to pay for this.)
d. Most importantly (you all know where I'm going with this) ... having her occupied -- not dealing with the near tearful, "I wanna help!" "Can I push the cart?" "I'm huuunngry" -- is something you can't put a price on. (Good, huh?)

Once she's outfitted with a few reads (NO sticker books - this is important), her only concern is finding all "the ladies." You know ... THE LADIES. Grandmotherly women in hairnets, offering up tasty afternoon snacks to all good boys and girls. And maybe, if she's lucky, MP and I will end the excursion by sharing a $1.50 Costco Meal Deal for lunch.

Mama lives large.