This afternoon my 2-year-old gave a loud shriek. Well, it was more of a terrified scream. You know when they squawk and shout all day long and most of it can be ignored, but then comes the scream of pain/terror that makes you leap from wherever you are and go running.
Fortunately it wasn’t far, and I ran across the room to find her wiping her mouth and face frantically and rolling on the sofa.
‘What’s happened? Love, what is it?’
I managed to coax out of her a pointed finger and another petrified scream. My gaze followed her finger to see a spider on the sofa, where she had been. One of those ones with a body like a plump raisin and long legs as thin as a whisker. Now, I am not a fan of arachnids but brave face on I said ‘Oh, it’s Mr Skinny Legs!’. I apologise at this point if you are not au fait with the comings and goings of Peppa Pig, but there is a particular episode where a similar thing happens and the spider is christened ‘Mr Skinny Legs’. Thinking on my feet I tried to rope in a bit of piggy love and reenact a Peppa Pig classic. It worked. Littlest calmed down and was content for me to usher Mr Skinny Legs into a trug and deposit him outside the patio doors.
The part of the story I haven’t told you lends itself to another TV phenomenon. When I ushered our little friend into the trug I noticed he was limping a bit and upon closer inspection I saw he had a leg missing. I glanced over to my daughter who was still poking at her mouth. OMFG I think she ate his leg! I think he crawled over her face while she was lying on the sofa and she swiped and with one loud yowl knocked off a limb and accidentally ate it. I didn’t know what to do! I’m an acranophobic toddler – get me out of here! I mean, how grim is that??
All I can say is I am going to make her brush her teeth ’til they gleam tonight…..ugh.
Ewwww! I’m terrified of spiders but have had to man up in my new role of Arachnid Removal Officer at home. I may not sleep tonight having read that now…
Apparently you eat 12 a year whilst sleeping….
Little bit of trivia.
I know the episode well although t is some time since I saw it. Probably lots of nutrient in a spiders leg so don’t worry. x
Still makes me shudder.
Oh. My. God. I feel ill. It reminds me of when my daughter’s creche was visited by a lost spider that was roughly the size of a Jack Russell. The kids were shrieking excitedly about Incy Wincy coming to visit while the care workers stood on chairs screaming for the fire brigade.
I do my best to show no fear in front of the kids. Except with wasps. I freak out when those little buggers come near me,
I get the feeling it’s not all right to laugh? Sorry. *Runs and hides.Thinks about limping for the fun of it!*
I hesitated before kissing her goodnight. Awful mother.
That’s so funny…just think of it as a little extra protein ;-)
Your poor daughter! I would have freaked out if a spider crawled across my face, so I’m not surprised she was terrified.
Love the blog name. I’m a big fan of Shirely Valentine.
Oh no, oh help, oh no …. It’s Mister skinny legs – I’m not a fan of that kind of spider either – poor you, and your daughter … eeeww … I would have screamed too!