firefly

The girls were up late this evening on account of SAA knitting club being at our house. They were playing outside in their pajamas with Brian for quite a while. They came back in to get trash together since it is trash night. When they went outside to take the can to the street it happened to be just the right moment when the fireflies began to wink all around. Brian was excited. Cumorah was terrified. She came running inside the house saying, "Mommy, mommy, fireflies!" At first I thought she was excited and then I noticed how earnestly and desperately she was trying to climb into my lap. I looked at her face and saw how truly scared she was. She was being a little embarrassed about it because of our visitors, but she looked like she could start to cry any second and she was trembling. We all talked favorably about fireflies and how pretty they are, etc. etc. We assured her that they were not really fire and we also agreed with her that they were outside and not inside. She got excited and wanted to show me. So I went out with her and was ooohing and ahhhing at all of the little lights glittering over the lawn when I looked at Cumorah. She had her hand over her eyes. After our guests left we went out to the back porch and sat on our rocking bench with a blanket to watch the fireflies. Rivers fell asleep and Cumorah hid under her hat wrapped in my arms the whole time.

I saw one or two fireflies last year in the backyard, but never this many. They were everywhere and some would pass by us pretty close. I realized that we left for California this time last year. I think we just missed the time when they were plentiful. Fireflies are very exciting. The only fireflies that I can recall seeing as a child were the little fake ones at Disneyland on The Pirates of the Carribean, which was probably my favorite thing about the ride. Seeing the real thing is just so cool.

Unrelated story: Rivers is teething again. She is not very fun to live with when she is teething. She picked out one of her little sandals to chew on this evening. She carried it around and had it with her when we were on the back porch. She took it to bed with her. I really let my daughter go to sleep in her bed chewing on one of her sandal straps. Whatever makes her happy.