The Adventures of Riley and Lil' Worm

Easter was a very quiet affair at our house this year, having just returned the day before from Russia. I did want to post a couple pictures of Riley's egg decorating. We sponge painted a couple of eggs before Jeff and I left. Riley was so proud of her work she actually ate one of the eggs. 
The other day Riley spotted a pint size shovel while we were grocery shopping. She loves digging in the dirt with her trowel and I'm happy to have the "help" while I'm pulling weeds so when she said, "Mommy, may I have da shuble please?" I splurged and spend a whole $2.50. That afternoon, she was very eager to try her new tool. I offered to show her how it was done but she insisted, "I do it mine own myself." She soon discovered a worm in the dirt and declared it was yucky. Now if you know me well, you know I take great pride in having no fear of little creepy crawly things. I once squashed a cockroach with my bare hand in front of a guy who mistakenly thought I needed to be protected from it just to prove a point. I can't have any daughter of mine afraid of a worm, so I picked him up and told her how cute he was and that he tickled my hand. Well that was it, she wanted that worm. I placed him in her hand and she giggled. She then took the worm on a tour of the yard before settling down on a rock. I heard her talking and asked what she had said. "I not talking to you. I talking to Lil' Worm," was her reply. She told the worm she loved him and then gave him a kiss. That's my girl. When it was time to go in, the trouble started. 

I had explained to Riley that worms live in the dirt and that they are very happy there. Despite this, she kept insisting that Lil' Worm wanted to come live in the house with her. I said he would be sad in the house but we could make a nice blanket out of leaves to keep him warm while he crawled back into the dirt. She gave in but sobbed as she covered him with leaves. She continued to sob for another ten minutes after we came back in the house. Only a promise to look for him later calmed her down. 

Wednesday we were out in the yard again. The first thing Riley wanted to do was look for Lil' Worm. We soon dug one up. I think Riley assumed this was the same one. Unfortunately this worm was not a hearty as the last one. After a few trips down the slide with Riley, she came to tell me, "Lil' Worm not wiggling any more. I think he sleeping." I agreed that he was (may he rest in peace) and we put him back in the dirt for a little nap.