Bugged!

Katelee is in love with bugs.

I find this very strange, because I hate bugs.  I've always hated bugs.  In fact, when I was a little girl, my younger sister would take her revenge on me by chasing me with grasshoppers or other bugs.  (I'm sure I deserved it, by the way, and thinking back on it that must have been pretty funny!)  But maybe that helps explain why I REALLY don't like bugs.

I've been trying not to project my unreasonable fears onto Katelee, so as long as she is only picking up potato bugs, harmless ants, or grasshoppers, I try to keep my mouth shut.  But when she reaches for a spider, I scream.  I'm sorry; I can't help it.

Anyway, this morning, in typical fashion, we tried to run next door for a quick errand.  On the way, Katelee discovered 6 ants, 2 potato bugs, and a centipede-type thing.  She picked up one of the potato bugs and they quickly became best friends.  

Later, when she dropped him in the grass and couldn't find him, she cried her heart out.   That was about 3o minutes ago, and she is still saying she misses her bug friend.

Her other trend lately (that has me slightly worried) is that she tries to sneak the bugs into the house.  She knows she is not allowed to bring bugs into the house, and so she closes her hand tightly around the tiny captive and tries to walk in without me seeing.  When I stopped her the other day, she cried and said the ant wanted to watch a show with her.  I am beginning to wonder if I have always caught her, or if she has succeeded in smuggling any into the house yet...  I hope I just never find out.