Dear Roly Polys,
I’d like to start by apologizing. I have a 3 year old who is absolutely fascinated by you. We cannot go more than 2 steps down the road (or even driveway for that matter), without having to stop and stare at you as you try to crawl to safety. And inevitably that same 3 year old will try and pick you up and hold you. And that would be ok if he had learned how to gently hold you, but that’s still a work in progress. It’s better than it used to be, he use to just step on you, so now at least he’s trying to show care and concern for you.
And if he does manage to catch you and we are close to home he will likely try to put you in his bug play yard that he has. It’s a great spot, there are little things to climb on and crawl through. And he can watch you safely from the outside which is a huge advantage. Until he decides to open the top and pull you out to play with. And then I say things like “Put the Roly Poly back in the box and don’t smash him on mommy’s couch”. You know the little details.
Oh and don’t mind the dead roly polys that are already in the bug play ground. They were just like you a few days ago, they have just been well loved. Every morning I have to answer why certain roly polys are no longer moving. I try to clean out the dead ones but sometimes he’s already adding new ones before I get the chance. Don’t worry, if you die he thinks you go to heaven “just like grandma”.
And be thankful for the bug playground that you get to go to. He found a beetle the other day and put it in a plastic cup. By the time he showed it to me the beetle was already on its back with its legs stuck up in the air. But he’s hung onto the cup and is so proud of it and brings it to me multiple times a day to show me his bug. He tells me “mommy this bug was crawling on daddy’s arm”. To which I reply “I think his crawling days might be over”. And then he walks away happy shaking the cup vigorously side to side.
And so Roly Polys of the yard/street/neighborhood, or pretty much anywhere we might be this summer, just be warned, he means good and cares deeply for you, it just might not come across as such. Run and hide while you can.
Till we meet-
A mommy of a bug lover
Hiking Mommy 