The One With the Dead Ant

Our two year old is starting to put things together...

The other day I noticed one of those huge black ants making its way across our kitchen floor. We were in the middle of eating and in an effort to not make a big spectacle of "squishing bugs" (in fear that this will become Caitlin's new favorite outdoor hobby) I leaned over and grabbed a small box acting as a temporary home for our switchplate covers and firmly enough set it down on top of the intruder. Done and done.

Well who knew that one of the first things Caitlin would notice the next morning at breakfast was the dead ant on the floor, now exposed since the switchplate box was moved during Grady's continued work on the kitchen reno from the night before. That girl spots everything, I should have known.

Here's how the conversation went:

Caitlin: "Bug!"
Me: from across the room, thinking she sees a live one, "Where?"
C: pointing, "Bug!"
M: walking over, "Ohhh, yeah...that's an ant." pause. "It's dead."
C: "Dead."
M: "Yeah, dead. I squished it."
C: "Squished it."

I go back to making breakfast...then some minutes later:
Caitlin: "Hurt?"
Me: "What hurts?"
C: pointing, "Bug."
M: "The bug hurts? Ohh, umm, you mean when I squished it?"
C: "Yeah, squished it."
M: not knowing how to respond, "Umm, I don't know if the bug hurt...I mean, maybe..."
C: "Bug. Hurt. Squished. Owie."
M: *totally* not knowing what to say, "It's ok Caitlin, he's dead and doesn't hurt now."

Some more minutes later...
Caitlin: "I kiss it better?"

Blech. Let's just say we cleared that one up right away.