Monarch Butterfly

This is Eli's new favorite past time.... stomping on grasshoppers.

Mateo's most recent pets were five caterpillars found on some Milkweed and brought home to later miraculously and beautifully turn into Monarch butterflies. When the first one came out of the chrysalis, he climbed onto the rim of the jar, jumped onto the cabinets and fell on the floor, then proceeded to find his way to the sliding glass door in search of sunlight and freedom. When he flew out the door, Mateo said,

"But mom, I wanted to keep him!"

"Mateo," I said, "He needs to be free and find food and water and have a family."

"But why? I could have given him that!"

A few days later, the second butterfly emerged and Mateo immediately ran and closed all the doors so he could not escape. After taking it to his kindergarten class to show his friends, we got home and I "accidentally" tipped the jar over in the grass so he could be free. Only a few tears were shed. There is still one more chrysalis in Mateo's kindergarten classroom waiting to appear. I'm sure Mateo will find a way to give this last butterfly a good family, food and water.... until Eli grabs it and crushes it and tries to eat it. Then many tears will be shed.