Unusual Pet

The other day, the kids came running to tell me the exciting news: they'd found a caterpillar! It was so cute! They were going to keep it as a pet!

As long as it didn't come inside, I said. It was fine with me.

They named it Buttercup. Little Man ran to get his carved wooden treasure box, and they lined it with pieces of cut-up sponge. They shredded cotton balls to give Buttercup a soft bed. They picked a million leaves for her to eat. Taking care of Buttercup kept them occupied for hours (which was more than fine with me). They tried to sneak her upstairs into CC's room, but I caught them and made them put her back outside. It's been three days now, and they're still spending an inordinate amount of time with Buttercup.

But here's the kicker: Buttercup has been dead the whole time. And the kids knew it! (They found her because Little Man ran over her with his bike.) "It's okay that she's dead, Mommy," they assured me. "We like her better that way."