The Caterpillar

Last Sunday was one of those days that really pulled at my Mommy heartstrings....

We were outside yesterday and blowing bubbles and playing in my parents' fabulous backyard when I saw this big caterpillar crawling through the grass. I quickly told Bean to come look. Bean's absolute favorite things are animals. He ran over super excited, and immediately said

"Mommy can I hold him?"

I said, "I don't know baby"

Bean, "I need to Mommy, I need to hold him."

Now I am all about Bean exploring and learning about nature, but I also will not allow innocent animals to be subjected to a three year old, so I wasn't really sure what to do. He calls for his Nonny to come look. He explains to his Nonny how he needs to hold his caterpillar and she tells him she is going to get him a bug jar. So the yogi in me isn't so sure about this, but the Mommy in me feels that he will enjoy this and it will be educational. In the meantime, we have lost site of the little guy and Bean is very upset looking for him on the grass, but he doesn't want to step on him. I figure it is a lost cause and now I won't have to catch him. A few minutes later.....

"Mommy I found him I found the caterpillar!!"

So into the plastic container with the holes in it and Bean is the happiest little boy you have ever seen. He is showing his new "best friend" to everyone. My Dad finds leaves for him to put in there and shortly my son is sitting on the couch watching a movie with his caterpillar. I am looking at this caterpillar and realize the little guy isn't doing so well and he needs to be freed. So I tell Bean that the caterpillar needs to go home to his house and that was the end of his happiness. He chases me outside and is begging me not to let the caterpillar go.

"Mommy I need him. NOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He is my best friend!!!!!!!"

I explain to Bean the caterpillar is going to die if I don't let him go, because I believe in honesty, but that goes straight over his head. I then explain that the caterpillar lives outside and can only visit where Bean lives for a little while and that he needs to be set free so he can see his Mommy and grow into a beautiful butterfly. This is completely ineffective. He has lost it and is crying hysterical and in Bean's very sensitive three year old brain, I have just taken away his very best friend and his happiness. I take him inside and wrap him up in a blanket and hold him while he is crying and eventually he falls asleep. Sometimes it is just so hard being a Mom and watching my child learn the hard lessons we all have to learn about life.

Running- No running since last Sunday with all the traveling I have been up to. I have been working on my pull-ups though.

Daily Gratitude

* arriving home safely

* thoughtful gifts for Bean, Tadpole, and I when we arrived home

*good friends

* pretty roses

* my boys being so good on all the car trips we took the past 2 1/2 weeks

* my bed

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