Butterflies

Having two little girls means that I always have two little creatures flitting around me all the time. They're wanting to talk, or play, or get help, or hugs, or whatever. When they were very small, I referred to them as butterflies, because that's what their flitting behavior reminded me of. When I was really tired of being surrounded by small little girl butterflies, I would shoo them away saying, "Fly away, little butterflies." And they would leave for about a minute before coming back for something.

One morning, the girls were playing on our bed, and I really needed to get up and get dressed without little people surrounding me. So I said, "Fly away, little butterflies." and shooed them off. My youngest, who was about four years old, turned to me and said, "You know, Mommy, we can't be butterflies because butterflies are the grownups. So, YOU'RE the butterfly, Mommy, and I am a worm."

I know she had forgotten the word for caterpillar, but I liked her calling herself a worm a lot better.