Caterpillars

Today Evalyn discovered caterpillars. From the moment we walked through the gate at the park and she spotted one on the ground, she was obsessed. She stopped in her tracks and picked it up. She was only momentarily distracted by the fun birthday party festivities and food before she was on her quest to find more caterpillars. We circled the playground until coming back to the entrance where an entire birch tree was covered in caterpillars. She was practically jumping up and down to hold them. "I want to hold FOUR Mommy!" (Four or Five is her number of choice lately for wanting a lot of something.)

She played by the caterpillars almost the entire time, stopping only to watch the presents get opened before running back to the tree and bushes. When Henry started getting into too much trouble and before any major meltdowns, we readied to leave. But Evalyn wasn't about to leave without taking a caterpillar with. It had been such a lovely playgroup and nice weather and happy children that I didn't want to spoil it. Plus she was so cute and earnest in her love of the fuzzy creepy things. So we took one home.

It survived the trip home in a ziploc baggie with leaves. It survived naptime in a cup with a plastic wrapped lid. Then we made a real home for it from a Mason jar and a strip of old mesh screen for a lid. And we added more leaves and sticks. Jadie the Cat was very interested in the whole project. It warmed my heart to have my little girl be so into discovering and exploring caterpillars. It's one of those things like drinking water or running around outside or digging in the dirt that should be an inalienable right for all kids.