I Think Nice Beetles Give Hugs

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Middle of the night.

Bap. Bap. Bap. Bap... [endlessly].

Both Mommy and Daddy converge to the source of the noise: the door to Gaius's room.
It's Mara, knocking.

Parents: What is it, Mara?
Mara: I was needing you, Mommy.

Daddy goes back to sleep, I join Mara in her bedroom. She's looking at me with very large, lucid eyes.

Mara: I think nice beetles give hugs.
Me: They do?
Mara: Yes. [giant nod]
Mara: I have a lot of beetles in my bed. They are nice. I put them in this corner.

She gestures toward the corner where she usually sleeps; now she's still lying in bed but closer to the door, I can only assume in an attempt to allow space for the beetles.

 Me: Are they dream beetles?
Mara: Yes. They are A LOT. [another hugely convincing nod].
Me: I see. And they're nice and give hugs.

 Mara: Yes.
Mara: And I have a baby praying mantis in my bed. She is nice too.
Mara: And a spider who is nice.
The End

 P.S. This happened after Greg had helped Mara to sleep that night with a story about a praying mantis that laid lots of eggs in a tree. It was inspired by a real story from our friends Remo and Kristi, who several years ago had a baby praying mantis invasion in their home, all over the ceiling, from eggs that hatched out of their Christmas tree. In our version of the story, Remo picked up the baby mantises gently and released them outside where it was nice and warm.

A Praying Mantis from Greg's photos a while ago.

Gaius exploring the wilderness of our yard.

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