Insect Boy

Carter and Wyatt had a bug party for their birthdays this past October. We used the Wildlife Company, an awesome organization that does school and library events as well as birthdays. They are a bit pricey, but lo and behold, they had a Groupon special for half-priced parties! Woooo hooo!

I admit, I tend to steer the boys' birthday party themes in the direction that would be most fun for me to decorate. This year "we" decided on bugs. So bugs it was and bugs are what came to our party. A giant millipede, a hissing cockroach, a centipede, a tarantula, and a bug-eating hedgehog. There were also sour cream and onion crickets to sample. Ugh, no thanks! It was a lot of fun and quite the learning experience. Check 'em out in my links!

But, it started something that I'm afraid has spiraled out of control. We now have a collection of bugs. Two hissing cockroaches named "Sassy Larue" and Sassy Larue" (after our beloved bearded dragon), two millipedes, "Millie" and "Mr. Cute", and a tarantula named "Turtle".

I suppose I'm the one to blame. I have visions of my children on the Oprah show in 30years admitting that well, they just would have never become world-renown (and may I mention terribly handsome) world experts on all things scientific, if it weren't for their mother fostering their love of bugs at an early age. They will turn and thank me for buying them their first $2 hissing cockroach (against their father's better judgement....he's so not getting credit for their accomplishments). I will nod and mouth "I love you" and we will have a lovely lunch at a lovely cafe following the show. 'Cause they will totally love hanging out with their mother.

You can't tell me you don't have these fantasies. They are so much better than imagining other future situations: You've been caught blazing a joint under the school bleachers? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

So, in the hopes of keeping my kids on the straight and narrow, we now have a collection of insects. They really are kinda cool. The hissing cockroaches are nocturnal, so if you turn your head just so and the lighting is just so, you can catch a glimpse of them huddled under their driftwood by day. By night, if you go in the room at 2am and fling on the light, then you can catch a glimpse of them scurrying back to their hiding place. The millipedes pretty much just wander through their cage and nibble on rotting veggies and mashed up dog kibble. They are fun to hold and examine. And their little faces are rather cute I might add.

The tarantula is the best pet. Every other day I lift her lid, she races over to me, and I fling a cricket into the cage. She bites into it, vomits her stomach contents onto it, and then sucks it dry. AWESOME!

But it's all totally worth it. Carter was sitting holding Mr. Cute just the other day. I said, "Carter, it's time to put Mr. Cute away." He replied, "but mama I want to hold him just a little bit longer.....and don't call me Carter. I am Insect Boy."

Okay Insect Boy, it is these memories that make it all worthwhile.