From Bee Stings to Bears and an occasional Moose

Arriving home from daycare, he runs to me, and I ask "how was your day?!?" every single day.

Just last week, I asked the usual, "did u have a good day?" and he shook his head quickly, "Nooo." Oh No. He's already having bad days?? I thought that would be grade school!

Me: (looking at husband, puzzled, husbands nods) Why didn't you have a good day sweetheart??

Kid: I SCARED!!!! (he does the signs for scared, very dramatically! where he gets his dramatics, I DO not know!)

Me: What happened??? (very puzzled, hugging him)

Kid: A Big Bear!!! I go running!

Me: (extra puzzled now) You got really scared because I big bear showed up a daycare and you ran from it??

Kid: Yes Mommy. Me Scared of Bear! No Bear! No.

I showered him with hugs and kisses as husband explained, the teachers told the "going on a bear hunt" story to the 2 year old class today and abram. eh, he didn't take it so well. In other words, he completely. Freaked. Out. Shaking. Crying. Hysterics. Etc.

He's developed this fear. I blame it on the day he got the bee sting. It happened at daycare. A bee flew straight down onto his face, and stung the living crap out of him. Would not let go, hung from his face, and finally the teachers got it off. He went hysterical and obsessed over the bee sting for weeks. Not Kidding.

After the bee incident, he began walking around the yard with his eyes on constant prowl for critters. Is that a spider? a bug? he ran from ants. Screamed about bees. Stopping periodically while outside to scope out his surroundings for any bees bugs or other creatures large or small.



We're working with him. Trying to show him that bugs aren't scary! And now. It's Bears. And Dinosaurs.

"dinosaurs mama," he says, grinning.

"oh where?" I ask mysteriously, playing along.

"over there, hall," he whispers, pointing to the hall.

Me, playing along, glanced into the hall, whispering back, "Oh yea, Big DInosaurs!"

"Hold me Mama!! NO Dinosaurs!!" he cries, tears welling up.

He wants to pretend we have dinosaurs but the moment we play along, it doesn't go so well... haha... so now we've taken to the serious approach, assuring him, there are indeed NO dinosaurs in the house. Or at the hotel we're staying at. Or in the trees. Or at the mall.

Now we can add bears to the mix thanks to the daycare horror story of "going on a bear hunt". good times:-)

Just last night, he woke at 3am, screaming!

I ran in.... soothing him, asking "whats wrong baby, what is it?"

Tears pooring down his little face, his hands shaking, and his arms reaching for his mama, he tells me, "Moose mama! MOOSE!"

Oh. My. Word. We talked about looking for moose on our trip to NH. In a FUN way of course. And we saw a few random moose statues in VT. End of story! Now he's having bad dreams about Moose?!? Or he's afraid theres one in his room? I couldn't figure it out.

The next morning, I went in to get him up... he's his usually happy morning self, grinning at the sight of me.

We whisper good mornings. give kisses. tight hugs. soft chat of morning milk and yes, moose.

"No moose mama?" he asks, wanting reassurance.

"No Moose Abram. None."

"No Moose outside???" he raises his eyebrows.

"Nope. Not one. They're in New England. Far far away. And Canada. Yes, New England and Canada," I said.

He smiled, liking my answer. "Canada," he stated, nodding. I nodded.

"We go watch Big Bird Mama?" Yes, onto Big Bird...