Life as a Leach

We released our butterflies last Thursday evening because we didn't want to become a funeral parlor they were ready to explore the world.  Our first, most fluttery butterfly, Cookie, was released first.  High into the air he flew, the sound of sweet freedom mingling with the cheers of celebration by its young caretakers below. And then... A bird swooped in and grabbed it out the air, gobbling it in one foul swoop.   No joke.  It really happened.   Matt and I looked at each other in shock, and Caleb was quite confused. Once he realized what happened, he swore it wasn't Cookie--that one was actually Milk.  (Cookie was one of "his" butterflies!) So, I will leave you with pictures of happier times with our winged friends...before the fluttery one got eaten by a bird in our backyard. (Caleb is chewing "therapy gum" here, per the suggestion of our speech therapist.  He is missing a few speech sounds and she thought that this...

We're raising butterflies again!  We did this two years ago when Abby was still very little (and very vented!), so it has been so fun to watch her become interested in their life cycle.  Every day she torments them checks them out to see how they're doing, and the last 2 hatched today! You may remember that two years ago, we had a special needs butterfly named Butter .  Well, guess what?  Apparently, we are the chosen family for all of the little ones who need some extra love, because we got another special needs butterfly this time around!  This poor little guy has mangled wings.  There have been many times that I thought he was officially in butterfly heaven, but then he would move around a little more.  He's a resilient little guy!  Guess what we named him? Yep. Butter Junior. I let Abby name two, and Caleb named two.  (Butter was sort of a group effort).  Abby named her two Milk and Cheerios (can you see where her mind is?!), ...

Now you see him.... Now you don't! He liked Sara's flowery pattern!

This is Butter. Isn't he the most beautiful butterfly??? Well, Butter was born with just one antenna, and he can't really fly very well.  Something didn't quite develop correctly while he was in his crysalid.  He instantly became everyone's favorite, and the one Caleb named first.  He was the one that would sit on everyone's finger the best.  Because he can't fly very well, he didn't really go anywhere when we released him into the wild.  I was really worried that something would happen to him, so we decided to allow him to live out his days in the comfort of his net home inside. I guess we all kind of have a soft spot for the ones with the odds stacked against them, huh? Thank you, Butter, for being a reminder of how God can take our imperfections and make them beautiful!

Flitter, flutter, butterfly! Can I catch you if I try? Flitter o'er the flower beds Flitter up above my head! Bye, bye butterfly!

On May 18th, Caleb became the proud daddy to four Painted Lady butterflies.  Their names are Butter, Bat Butterfly, Thomas the Butterfly, and Ms. Megan (as in the nurse Megan).  We've really enjoyed this science-in-action project.  When we got the container in the mail, they were just tiny larvae that ate a ton!  Then, they began to hang upside down and spin their crysalids (sp?).  Once they were all hanging and in their comfy new homes, I transferred them to their big net house.  Exactly a week later, they emerged!! Right after they come out, their wings are wet and limp.  We gave them a little time to dry and then we held them before they learned how to fly really well! Caleb was a little nervous about holding them himself, but he loved getting close to them. Abby was enthralled with this new creature! Then, he fluttered right down and landed on her circuit! Abby didn't seem to mind at all.  In fact, she kinda liked it!!