Aaaaaagh!

I have 19 (yes 19) different folders with selected pictures ready and waiting to become blog posts, but those will have to wait because I have to tell someone about this while my adrenaline is still pumping. Some of you may laugh, but oh well - here we go:

I am scared of spiders, not an unusual fear to have of course. If I remember right they say there are only 2 fears that babies are born with...fear of falling & fear of loud noises. So, I must have developed my fear of spiders at a young age because I can never remember NOT being afraid of them. My dad knew if I called for him to come snuff the life out of a spider that dared enter my room, that he better get it before it ran away or I wouldn't be sleeping in my room until it was found and I saw it swirling down with the toilet water.

Even earlier in our marriage I would put the stream spray on our spray 'n' wash (so I didn't have to get close to a spider) and just chase it, while spraying it, until it couldn't move...then I'd cover it with a cup and leave a note next to it for Mark that said "spider here" and he knew what to do. I remember my mom saying once "you know, someday you'll probably have to do that yourself"...and I remember thinking "Yeah, right." Well, once again, Mom was right...

With the proper motivation I have begun doing a fair share of the spider squishing in our household. What is that proper motivation you may ask? That's easy to answer...my two beautiful baby boys. All I have to do when I see a spider in our house...is picture it crawling on, or biting, Noah's or Lincoln's soft skin and I am revved up. Of course, if there is a more capable exterminator around (aka Mark) then I quickly call for him to take care of things. Also, I don't at all mean to say that I don't get scared when I get close to the spider - but I don't hesitate to do the dirty work and run the risk of the darn thing getting away...less I lay awake picturing the creepy little thing crawling across one of my babies!

SO! Enough background. Here's my story: Today Noah was having a hard time going to sleep for his nap. I could hear him running around his room acting out various scenes from 'Toy Story'. That happens sometimes though, and he'll eventually tire himself out and climb into bed. So, I continued taking care of Lincoln and getting other things done. Then, Noah started banging on/kicking his door for me to come get him. I ignored it for a while, but he persisted. So, I opened the door and in my stern mommy voice told him to get into bed.

Noah proceeded to tell me that there was a bug in the corner of his room. Now, we've been through this several times before. There is a paint chip on the baseboard near the corner of his room. Noah likes to tell me that it is a "bug" (and I can see how with a bit of imagination one could think that). So, the routine is that I touch it and say - nope, it's not a bug, see? That satisfies him, and then we're done.

So, when I asked Noah to get in bed for his nap and he pointed to the corner of his room and told me there was a bug...I began my routine of "honey, it's not a bug, see..." but I quickly stopped when I realized one of these was really there:
Aaaaagh! I don't know for sure if it was a hobo spider, but it sure looked like it. Super scary (for me). I quickly grabbed toilet paper, took off my shoe, and told Noah to stand back in case it was a fast little bugger. I was nervous & sweating, and trying to gather my gumption to attack this thick-legged beasty spider when I heard from the doorway "Go, Mommy! Go, Mommy! You can do it!!" It was apparently just what I needed, and I was promptly able to slay the creepy little invader. I then quickly marched to the toilet, flushed it, we waved goodbye to it, and I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

I have to say - that was Noah's first time cheering me on about anything, and I found the sweet, unsolicited encouragement to be so refreshingly satisfying. I never thought I would be able to even kill a spider on my own...much less find something sweet to remember during the process of doing so!