Elmo the Caterpillar

Today we found a caterpillar while we were outside playing before the school bus got here. Gareth and Owen were really excited (although neither of them wanted to touch it or hold it). Gareth insisted we get a jar (aren't you proud of me G? I had one!) and make a home for our new friend so that it can turn into a butterfly and we can watch. ... I told him I don't know what will happen, but we will at least keep him for a while.

So now our new friend is in a jar. Gareth thoughtfully decided to name him "Elmo" but not with out discussing it with Owen first. Although Gareth had to rush off to school, Owen has made sure that Elmo is not lonely. He played cars with him, Took him in to the back yard and put him in his play house (so that "Elmo can play with me"), and wanted to carry him with him everywhere ("Elmo play with ME mommy!!!"). Eventually I had to tell him to keep Elmo on the desk where I could see him because I was worried that poor Elmo wouldn't live to see Gareth get home from school.

I'm not really sure how it is that you keep little Caterpillars alive in jars – although the boys assured me that we just needed to feed them leaves, and provided Elmo with a bona fide leaf feast. Honestly I feel a bit bad for the poor guy who has, by now, given up on looking for a way out of his lonely little spaghetti jar home and set himself on a leaf looking ever so bored. Poor Elmo.

We'll see what the future holds for Elmo. Perhaps my guys can be convinced to let him free, but for now my boys are officially the owners of their first pet caterpillar.

(Scrappers, this is a Digital LO made with a digi kit by Dani Mogstad and Michelle Pearson I got it as a freebie at a DigiScrappin chat)