Ladybug Heaven
I have written before about L.'s pets... the dead bugs she carries around and cares for. The most popular of these pets are the ladybugs which fall into her clutches. Imagine L.'s excitement when the ladybugs started to swarm our house yesterday. (They do this every fall. We think the beetles are trying to find somewhere to hibernate and our house looks particularly appealing.) Much of the day was spent in ladybug collection. We even had to move up to a larger container.
This has led to some particularly funny quirky L. moments. We all now know a lot about ladybugs since at the last library visit she insisted we check out multiple books and have since read them. She likes to walk around expounding on ladybug knowledge. L. thinks she knows so much about them that I heard her tell G. that tomorrow there would be a class on the care, keeping, and most importantly catching of ladybugs.
This was not sufficient, though, to make the most of the bounty of ladybugs. They make great pets in L.'s opinion... alive or dead. She is concerned for the deprived people around her who do not have pets. Now think for a minute and I bet you can see what's coming. Many ladybugs + a needy audience + a child who really, really likes to sell things and is relentless at it = ????
You guessed it. Yes, L. has decided that a ladybug stand to sell ladybugs to people who don't have pets is the order of the day. It was one of the first things out of her mouth at bedtime and the first thing out of her mouth this morning. I'm not sure how long I can put her off. You can bet I will do my best. The idea of sitting with her outside trying to sell ladybugs and having her open her ladybug containers to check on them and then watching the ladybugs fly away does not sound like fun. If anyone out there thinks otherwise, I would be more than happy to let you handle ladybug stand supervision duty. That said, it is very difficult to not get sucked into the vortex of L.'s imagination.
Here are some girls with their ladybugs.
This has led to some particularly funny quirky L. moments. We all now know a lot about ladybugs since at the last library visit she insisted we check out multiple books and have since read them. She likes to walk around expounding on ladybug knowledge. L. thinks she knows so much about them that I heard her tell G. that tomorrow there would be a class on the care, keeping, and most importantly catching of ladybugs.
This was not sufficient, though, to make the most of the bounty of ladybugs. They make great pets in L.'s opinion... alive or dead. She is concerned for the deprived people around her who do not have pets. Now think for a minute and I bet you can see what's coming. Many ladybugs + a needy audience + a child who really, really likes to sell things and is relentless at it = ????
You guessed it. Yes, L. has decided that a ladybug stand to sell ladybugs to people who don't have pets is the order of the day. It was one of the first things out of her mouth at bedtime and the first thing out of her mouth this morning. I'm not sure how long I can put her off. You can bet I will do my best. The idea of sitting with her outside trying to sell ladybugs and having her open her ladybug containers to check on them and then watching the ladybugs fly away does not sound like fun. If anyone out there thinks otherwise, I would be more than happy to let you handle ladybug stand supervision duty. That said, it is very difficult to not get sucked into the vortex of L.'s imagination.
Here are some girls with their ladybugs.
These are two that G. was carrying around in a toy treasure chest. (All small containers have suddenly become ladybug homes.)
G.
L. with her bucket. Notice the lid is off because it is easier to see the ladybugs. The trouble is, these are alive and can still fly. It's like living in one of those walk-in butterfly exhibits except with ladybugs.
Notice the amenities for the ladybugs: mountain, toys, leaf (even though L. can tell you they eat aphids.)
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Liz