Butterfly Smasher

This morning while I was driving into work I was thinking about this blog, and why I started it.  I thought back to something that happened about a year and a half ago, a story about Paige.  When I shared this story with friends and family they doubled over with laughter.  I clearly remember my Mom asking if if wrote it down so I didn't forget to which I most likely replied.."No, but I will. I need to get better at that."  So here we are. A lifetime later and it still. isn't. written. down.
Lets fix that.

This little episode happened about June of 2009 while Paige was at her childcare center located at my Mom's work, Aveda's Child Garden.  Paige was about 2 months from turning 3 and I was five or so months pregnant with Quinn.
On this particular day I was picking Paige up from "school" as we have always called it.  I entered her classroom and gathered her belongings as she was out on the playground.
I noticed that on the whiteboard near the door there was a special announcement, it read "Today our monarch butterfly came out of his cocoon!".  With a smile I thought about what a great experience it was to see that, how rare it is to witness something so special.  As I walked through her class, observing the classroom, the art, the organic feel of it all and appreciating how lucky she was to be able to attend such a great school I was just so happy.
As I walked out the back door onto the playground on this warm summer day I heard, "Paige!  Your Mom is here!"  To that Paige came rushing every day.  Every time!  (Oh I do miss that, these day's when I pick her up she is more likely to ignore my as she continues to color.)  Anywho, Paige runs to me, screaming "Mommy!" And leaps into my open arms for kisses and hugs, I am the luckiest Mommy in the world.  I look around at all of the children, such a small group of kids who are nearly the same age.  A core group of eight or so who have been together ever since their Mom's had to return to work, Paige's friends.  Sigh.
We wave goodbye and head home.

On the way home I ask Paige about her day, if she had a good day? Did she have a good nap?  Did she have fun with her friends at school?  Did she eat a good lunch?  Did she have any accidents in her big girl pants? 
Then I asked her what I thought was an innocent question...

Me:  Paige!  I heard you had a baby butterfly that was born in your class today!
Paige:  I don't like it.  It was icky. I threw it on the ground and smashed it.
Me:  Silence
Me:  No you didn't.  That would be "not okay" and we are always nice to butterflies.  They are our friends.
Paige: I don't like butterflies.  I throw them on the ground and step on them. (note that she actually yelled this statement)

At this point I was in denial, I decided to let it go.  I mean who would have done that?  Stomped a newborn butterfly, right?  So the next day when I got to work I emailed the director at her center, it started something like this...so Paige told me something yesterday, and I am sure it isn't true...but...
She replied back pretty quickly.
I was true!  oh no.  Unreal.  I couldn't believe it.  She actually smashed it.  My mind was spinning....

Hurry children!  The baby butterfly is about to be born!  Let's all gather around to watch and celebrate the circle of life.  All of the children have formed a delicate circle and are kneeling quietly and observing while holding hands of course as harp music plays.   Just then, the sky opens up to the heavens, where a bright ray of light shines down right in the center of the children, directly on the slowly emerging butterfly.  Every one is silent as the butterfly opens his wings for the first time, gently fluttering them up an down in the warm sun.  Then...all of a sudden, Paige breaks free from the circle of children with her messy hair and mismatched clothes and grabs the baby butterfly with a scowl on her face.  Lifts it up into the air before throwing it to the ground and stomping it repeatedly with her little purple shoe while saying "I hate butterflies!  I hate butterflies".  Then all of the children erupted into tears and called out for their mommies.  The teachers hung their heads in disappointment...

Really, it didn't quite happen like that.  The director explained to me that after the butterfly was born they took it out of it's habitat as it will sit where ever you place it for quite sometime while it's wings dry.  Apparently one of the teachers put it on Paige and she was scared to death of it.  She immediately brushed it off and stomped on it. Because that is what you do with icky bugs.   I also learned that what was on her looked nothing like a butterfly and I really couldn't blame her for her reaction.  Although it was colorful, it had a lot of legs and resembled a giant bug.  The good new is that there were 2 born that week so there was still one to have on display and luckily the children were still young enough that they didn't realize that Paige killed their butterfly.

That being said, even though I know the real story.  The one I imagined is the way I still picture it.  And I can tell you, for the remainder of the summer I avoided the butterfly gardens whenever possible.