March 2, 2010

The kids get a pet, for about an hour.

Compared to the spiders I grew up with in Florida, the spiders out here in the west are weak sauce. Perhaps not danger-wise, but most definitely size wise.

I grew up with spiders the size of your hand hanging out on our living room wall. Gross, but true. So I don't jump out of my skin when I see a bitty one crawling around here. Which proves I am more of a man than my oldest brother who faints at the sight of them, no matter how small.

You can see where this is going, can't you.

Indeed, as I sat on the floor, changing the 243rd diaper of the morning, I noticed a tiny speck moving across my wall. Upon discovering a little miniature eight-legged creature, I called the boys over to have a look.

Joseph, who happens to only be scared of things bigger than his pinky finger nail, leaps up shouting, "I'm going to catch it!"

In a flash he came back with an old peanut butter jar I was obviously saving for just such an occasion. There is something to be said for "poor man's tupperwear". I was actually quite impressed he managed to catch it without squishing it. I was sure I was going to have to clean a little black steak from my wall.


Savannah came home from school just a few minutes later and Joseph quickly showed off his new prize. It took them a few minutes to be able to find it in that big jar, but once they did, Savannah started oohhh-ing and aahhh-ing and oh how cute-ing.

And when they would lose sight of it, the jar would be flipped, banged, bumped, and rolled. I almost felt sorry for it.


After a minute or two, Savannah looks up and me and says, "Mommy, we have a new pet. And her name is... Heart."

Okay then.

"Mom, can we feed Heart? She's hungry.

"Well, what do you think spiders like to eat?" I asked in return.

After looking thoughtful for a minute she replies, "Leaves, water, bananas, and bread, maybe."



Thankfully Savannah decided that Heart would be much happier out in the wide world where she could find her own food.

I hope this makes up for me being the mean mommy (see previous post) and I am now considered the super cool, totally awesome mommy.

Who else would let you keep a pet spider named Heart?
                                               

P.S. If you get really bored, you'll also find me over at MMB today. When I re-read my submission for them, I groaned, buried my head in my hands and thought, why did I write such a thing! People will think I'm showing off or something and come throw bricks at my window!
But so far, there have been nice people leaving nice comments, so maybe only a couple windows will get smashed tonight.
See you over THERE!

17 super cool people speak:

Jocelyn Christensen said...

No bricks in MY hand! :) a spider named Heart...that's new! :)

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

I read you over at MMB and had to come over here for a visit! Darling post and love your blog.

I love your humor and wit!

As Told By Molly said...

I have no 'heart' when it comes to spiders (or any bug) in the house. Down the toiliet they go. You win today's totally awesome mommy award for sure.

Together We Save said...

That is so cute... a spider named Heart. Just stopping by from SITS to say hello!

See Mom Smile said...

Heart needs to come play with Rex, Chloe, Princess and Merlin......our two dogs, bearded dragon lizard and corn snake. Yup. I win :)

Serene is my name, not my life! said...

LOL, yup. You win!

Windthicket Fables said...

Ewww. I seriously got the chills. I hate spiders. ~Shiver~

Hey- thanks again for that award. I WILL get around to doing it. My life has just been busy lately with all my kids sick and stuff. Thanks so much!

ldsjaneite said...

My sister and I kept a pet spider. It was the coolest thing, even if rather small. We had it in a glass jar and used it as a table in our Barbie "house." What Barbie dolls ever had a cooler table? It eventually suffocated to death--though it made it quite a few weeks! So my sister flushed it....while it was still in the jar.... Ah, memories.

mormonhermitmom said...

Okay, that spider link was definitely not cool. AAAAAAGH. I could develop a phobia about hand-sized spiders. Yech!

Pitterle Postings said...

You are a better mom than me! I don't do spiders! (I have been known to unwilling allow the kids to have rats, mice, gerbals, hamsters, sugar gliders, praying mantis', lizards, chicks and pigs) Now I am old and can settle for the dog, cat, and chicks part of the equation. I still hate spring when they always manage to find a baby bird for a "pet". Oh well, my girls would scream over the spider and I would have to catch it and let it go outside (in the neighbors yard of course!)

* said...

Oooh, I can so relate! My kids love spiders and icky things that crawl.

PS: I love that they named the spider "Heart." It just makes me smile.

PPS: Great post on MMB!

Mama Smith said...

I never could understand...how your macho brothers...would scream for their sisters to come get a wee spider out of their sight...and yet, without batting an eye...kill a "poisonous" SNAKE that would chase me in the garden...!!! And men, think WOMEN are strange creatures!

Chelsea said...

Always fun catching up on your blog - you have an awesome way of describing the day-to-day adventures of MOMS! Just read you on Mormon mommy Blogs too- you are FAMOUS! :)

The Damsel In DisDress said...

Loved your MMB post. Didn't love the spider picture.

You're awesome!

Evelyn said...

Gack!!!! I saw that banana spider...FOR REAL?! One thing we've found in AZ is the bugs are HUGE!!! The heat must cause radioactive waves or something. YUCK! I think I would take teeny tiny Hobo spiders over that banana spider. Aren't kids funny with their names? My daughter names everything the strangest names. Haha!

BTW, LOVED your post on MMB! I wish I had been as wise. remorse, remorse.

Serene is my name, not my life! said...

LOL, sorry about the spider pics. Perhaps I should have linked to the wolf spider instead?
I'm not sure which is nastier to look at but they are both just as big.

And thanks!! I really appreciate it!

Valerie said...

I lived in Florida for a while and didn't like the big spiders and hated the GIANT ones I saw in Ecuador when I was there twice. It's strange for me to remember that I actually picked spiders up by their legs and threw them out of the tent. Ick! Not anymore! I do NOT like them...but I don't faint.

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