Flowers and Bugs

T loves flowers.  LOVES them, just like mama.  When we go out for walks, he is always asking to pick the flowers.  Red, yellow, purple, he loves them all.  It is so cute seeing him walk down the street or sit in the stroller with his little bouquet.  Sometimes he pulls the petals off, other times he just holds them.  I love it when he brings me one and says "Here's a flower for you mommy". 

He doesn't discriminate either.  Dandelions and other weed-type plants are just as treasured as the tulips and the daffodils.  Today he learned how to say "grape hyacinth".

He is also into bugs.  That's right, we've made some great progress on the bug fear.  He still doesn't like ones that take him by surprise and kamikaze him, but then again none of us do.  When we walk home from the park, I swear he has to stop and look at every, single, ant.  "Look mommy, an ant!  An ant!  Look look, TWO ants!  Two ants mommy!  LOOK!".  This goes on all the way home.  "Yes Tristan, there are ants.  There are lots of ants.  Lots from here until we get home". 

Today while we were walking I could see a little girl about T's age coming towards us with her dad.  As we approached I could see her on all fours, scrounging the ground while her dad kept telling her to hurry up.  I just laughed and said "ants?", he chuckled and said "yup".  I can just hear her in my head, "Look daddy LOOK, an ANT!".

In the backyard today T wanted me to put a boxelder bug into his bug cage.  Boxelder bugs are creepy.  Well, at least to me they are.  Here is one for your viewing pleasure.

And we have them everywhere here.  I mean EVERYWHERE.  These are some of the bugs that he was previously scared of, but now he seems to be interested in them.  He walks right up to them now, and even tries to feed them flowers.  But he still won't touch them.

The thing is, I won't touch them either.  There is nothing stupider than a mother who is afraid of bugs trying to teach her 2.5yr old not to be afraid of bugs.

T:  "Mommy, put bug in the bug house"
Me:  "You can do it.  Use your hand to grab it and put it in"
T:  "Mommy do it"
Me:  "Mommy can't.  Mommy's allergic to bugs"

Do you think he'll buy it?

I love flowers, and I hate bugs.  Pretty strange combination for someone who has made a living as a gardener.

Well actually, bugs and I have a love-hate relationship.  I hate that I fear them, but I secretly think they are cool and wish I weren't scared of them.  I actually find most bugs really fascinating and enjoy looking at pictures of them.  They do still creep me out though.

I follow a really cool bug blog though called Bug Safari , check it out.

Bugs and flowers, they go hand and hand.  They need each other.  So as much as I don't like bugs, I do love flowers and so I guess I better learn to appreciate them.

What I do love though is the excitement and sweet fascination with which my toddler looks at both.