Spiders and Ladybugs

Annabeth is currently "SO 'fraid" of 'piders and lay-leebugs"

How did this happen?

We have no idea!

Around Mark's birthday, we got in from his parents' house around 10 pm. In the hallway, there was a tiny spider. Mark killed it. Annabeth cried and cried! We were certain it was a combination of no nap, too much sugar from birthday cake, and being out too late. But, the next morning it took forever to get her to leave her room. She kept saying, "Where 'pider? 'Pider gone, Mama?" I would say, "Yes. All gone. Daddy killed it." Then she would come back with "I 'fraid 'piders."

Since that night she slightly panics even at the word "Spider." Kind of funny, a cute little stage we thought. Then Monday night...

We have had beautiful weather so we played outside all afternoon Monday and had a picnic dinner. A ladybug landed on her shirt. We thought she would be so excited because a few weeks ago my sister gave her a pencil with a bug (not a ladybug but she has been calling it a "lay-lee bug") on it and she has been insisting on taking it everywhere. We pointed out the ladybug, now on the picnic table, and she backed away quickly. She looked a bit timid, a huge change from last summer when she loved all bugs, so I said, "Look! Mama will touch it. It's a nice ladybug." Before I could touch it she began screaming frantically! I have never heard such a scared cry come from her before. I picked her up to comfort her as Mark shooed the ladybug away. She cried for a good five minutes before calming down and coming inside. She would not go outside for the rest of the evening and kept just saying " 'Fraid lay-leebugs!"

Spiders and lay-lee bugs, oh my!