Back from the Dead

Today, the bro and I were enjoying some silly one-on-one time while Natalie was swept away on a playdate. He and I were tickling each other, and I was enjoying the best little baby boy laugh I know. It doesn't take much with him, and when he really gets going you can't help but laugh with him. And imagine my surprise, when through our laughter, I caught a glimpse of the hermit crab tank and noticed that a shell had a emerged on the left hand side. A shell that had not been there for at least a month. A shell that was buried far under the sand for so long, that the water had evaporated from the dish and assuming Hermie was dead, I never bothered to refill it. Yes, PETA folks, I neglected my hermit crabs...but they made their own graves and I assured myself it was not my fault, their lifespans must be short, and I should have been warned at the start of this very long summer.

(Sidebar: I have these shelled roaches for three more weeks since Natalie doesn't start school until September 13 - that's right 13th!!!!)

I literally gasped at the sight of this shell and all laughter stopped as the Bro and I carefully examined it from our side of the tank. I dared to take the lid off and actually picked up the shell to see if anything was in it. I mean there had to be, how else would the shell have gotten out of the sand, right? So I steeled my will and picked the shell up only to truly understand the term "heebeejeebees." Ew. One might have thought I was in a pit a snake or patch of spiders the way I dropped the shell, shook my entire body, and felt an immediate need to shower. Even the bro shook it off a little, and he eats ants. But I dare to say, I did in fact see a crab. One which I think struggled to dig it's way out of the sand to die, because it was weak and movement was limited.

Three weeks and counting and these heinous, half dead insect/crustaceans will be out of my life for good.

Bleh!