Stubborn Boot Girl

On Wednesday morning Emily had her second swim lesson.  It went well except the teacher talked the whole time about moving her up to the next class and what that "looks like."  Then, since we were the only "parent and me" pair, he decided to start with her a little that day.  What he discovered, she is STUBBORN!!  Not news to us!    

Anyway, after we got home and changed we were headed out to the library.  Emily decided that she wanted to wear her boots - at least she had the polka dot connection.

(that looks like she was angry at me for taking a picture - not uncommon - but she was actually telling me something she considered very serious... her face is so animated)

The boots are still too big so Emily briefly stepped out of one of them and had to get it back on...
before declaring that she was also going to take her bucket with us.
Eventually we made it to the library,
got our new card, and discovered this fabulous kid room that we missed last time!

Emily had a ball in there, went on to color a picture and then on the way out, we searched for my book.  It was pretty frustrating because even though it was supposed to be on the shelf, it wasn't and I couldn't really devote all of my energy and concentration to locating it since I had a two year old on the loose.  She was walking away from me (about 6 steps, not really far) and then turning back around, clomping back, and diving into my lap with a "woo-hoo!"  She was having a great time and it wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't a library and I wasn't wanting to focus my attention on something else.  Can you imagine if she had wandered a little farther and was lost in the rows of books?  Can you just hear us calling out to each other amid the "quiet zone" signs?  Needless to say, I told her she needed to sit down for a minute so I could find my book or else we would have to go.  She didn't.  So go we did - all the while she was crying "no go bye-bye" very loudly - in the library - while I wrestled her and carried her boots instead of my book!!  

I waited until we were home and she I had calmed down before I talked to her about the problem and why we had to leave.  She looked very moved by my speech :) and was able to answer all of my questions so I left it alone and we had lunch.  Later, when I went in to get her from nap she looked up at me and said something like, "I sit, I listen to Mama, I whisper (said in a whisper voice)" and so I decided that if she wanted, we would go back and try it all again.  She was very excited to go back and I made it clear that we would be finding my book first and THEN going to play.  (On the way there she started crying - fake crying/whining - about needing her boots.  It made me laugh that she felt that they were necessary library attire now.)  When we got back to my section I told her to sit, and she did. 
I also found my book after consulting a librarian and discovering that there is a "to be shelved in the correct spot later" shelf.  Emily got to play in the kids room and all was right with the world.

A little clip from our first departure to the library.  That morning and last week she walked out of the garage and yelled, "a beautiful day!"  I made her do it again for the camera... not quite the same but still pretty good.