A (Terrible) Trip to the Library

This morning started out great.  Kids were happy as can be.  We read and cuddled.  I made mini pancakes for breakfast.  Only to also make french toast sticks and turtle (hard boiled) eggs before we were all out of our jammies.  We had a dance party in the living room while I folded clothes.  It's not really hot today so the wind was blowing while our windows were wide open.  We laughed and laughed.

A few weeks back Christian pulled or chewed a barcode off of a library book on the way home fromt he library.  I've been putting off bringing that book back in.  Today we did it.  No problem, Christian tossed the book way above his head on the counter and said he was sorry.  We all stood there as the guy replaced it.  Was that our punishment?! 

We continued our way through our wonderful library.  Climbed on stools.  Looked at cool books.  Did a couple puzzles.  I found another (isn't in the middle of three enough?) book for myself.  Found three DVDs and a CD.  Finally it was time to hit the road.  We had a lunch date with Papa in half an hour.

Then it happened. 

Christian wanted to take a puzzle home.  I showed him the library's name on it and explained we can't check that out.  No problem, until he grabbed the closest toy and clenched his little fist around it.  He wasn't giving in.  By this time Victoria had climbed a stool and had begun checking herself out with my card with a bit of help from a stranger.  I pulled the toy out of his hand and he literally SCREAMED in the library!  His first (please God let it be his last!) tantrum of his life!  Lay on the floor kicking and screaming - of all places a library.  All of a sudden I was that mom - hiding in the corner or two bookshelves with my hand over his mouth while whispering in his ear.  Apparently when dealing with a tantrum this does NO GOOD!  I really just wanted to get him out of there, but I wasn't going to penalize V and not let her get her goods while she was really good.  So there I stood with a screaming child in my left arm grabbing as much checked out stuff as I could from my 4 year old.  I thanked the nice lady ( I didn't even end out check out and get a receipt.  Hopefully noone added on to our card!) who ever so nicely smiled at me and said she had four kids. 
The tantrum continued outside, but not before I dropped all the books just inside the doors.  Oh, by then I was sweating, embarassed, and not very happy.  Outside I had to let him walk, I was exhausted.  He collapsed on the grass.

Then Victoria's motherly side took over and she tried to tickle him over his chin, which he loves.  He tried to kick her.  I practically dragged him to the car with one hand while books were falling out of my purse and V was picking them up.   I purposefully parked far away because it was such a beautiful day.  I clearly didn't see this coming.  I got him strapped in to the car and Victoria is looking at me with tears in her eyes.  She said, "You hurt my brother's feelings."  I explained exactly what happened.  She wasn't seeing my point of view.  Then she said, "You should just give him what he wanted and he would stop." 

Luckily I recently introduced her to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  I compared the situation to the spoiled Veruca Salt.  This is my big chance to teach Christian a huge lesson. 

Tantrums don't work with this Momma no matter what.

Thank goodness the CD V checked out was a classical one.  Within a mile we'd all calmed down.  Christian politely asked for a book.  Lunch was a success which was followed by a nearly three hour nap.

I think we're back on track. . .knock on wood.