Butterfly Kisses

We're on our third container of caterpillars [long story - they all hatched, but we kept receiving adult caterpillars instead of larva (is that right?) (I know I could Google but: lazy)] and Carys has just been having an amazing time watching them transform into chrysalises (chrysali?) and butterflies.

We watch them grow and talk about the process and maybe read a book or two, but don't have a whole curriculum surrounding it or anything. That's for more organized and Pinterest-y parents than me.

Somehow we've ALWAYS missed them "punching out" of the chyrsalises (as Carys says) which disappoints me horribly, but Carys loves waking up to see that they've transformed into butterflies.

The release is by far her favorite part. (Note the ever-present cape, a doll blanket secured with a binder clip. We fancy.)

We get our caterpillars and the habitat from Insect Lore via Amazon. They've had great customer service, and I don't think it's their fault we keep getting 'adult' caterpillars - it's taking a week to ship to us for some reason, so the little dudes are eating and maturing while sitting at the post office. Poor little guys (and gals?) spending most of their caterpillar life in a dark box. Sniff.

I auto-backup my pictures to Google Plus and they have this "Auto-Awesome"...thing...that they do where they make the little GIFs above and sometimes put together a movie for you. They made the movie below and OH MY GOD WHY AM I CRYING?