In the last two days, Eden has shrieked and screamed from various parts of the house, the slide, a tree, the sidewalk, the porch swing because of terrifying bugs -- ant, gnat, spider, bumble bee, fly.
In California there are, of course, bugs -- ants, silverfish, spiders -- but with the exception of ant-infestation, they tend to keep to themselves. Today is the first truly beautiful day we've had -- sunny and mild, air full of grass and greening. The four of us walked the half mile to check out Silas's new school and along the way Eden became paralyzed several times. Gnats. I had forgotten completely about gnats. When the weather warms, gnats rise in billowy clouds at face level so that walking/talking/running/sitting pretty much ensures one in the eye, nose or mouth. As soon as the specks hovered near my eyes, I was back in PE class in lower school, sitting on muggy grass with my hand raised above my head, hoping that the rumor was true, that they'd really fly to the highest point of the body. Gnats. Now they will be part of Silas and Eden's childhood story. Silas got one in his nose. Eden repeatedly stood stock still and squinted her eyes whimpering.
By the end of our time at the park, they were both laughing and pretending they'd swallowed one or had one in an ear. Eden even laughed (nervously) at a couple big ants and began windshield-wiping her arm in front of her face instead of simply freezing...
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