The Box with No Lid

Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend a fantastic seminar in KC, put on by Downsed in the UK. While I spent my day soaking up information about how my littlest one learns - the two boys took a little hunting trip.

Although the trip wasn't very successful, Logan was pumped up when I returned that evening. "I found a lizard in the driveway!!!"

I had noticed his critter catching cage was out on the front porch, and I congratulated him on his find. "So that's what you've got out there on the porch?"

He shook his head, beaming with pride. I expressed my concern about the safety of his new pet. I don't know a lot about reptiles, but I'm pretty sure they're not supposed to be out running around when it's 10 degrees outside. Daddy didn't seem too concerned, so I let it go for the night.

The next morning I reminded Logan he might want to let his little buddy go free so he could find a place to warm up (if he was still alive). I was pretty confident that the lizard had already croaked - we've sent many living things to their grave by holding them for too long in that netted butterfly habitat.

Logan went out to check, and sure enough the darned thing had survived. Then the begging began.

"Mom, can I bring my lizard inside to warm up?"
"NO."
"Please mom, I'll leave him in the cage?"
"NO."
"It will be just for a little while so he can warm up."
"No way."
"I'll put it in the box where I keep my 'outside toys' ...?"

"You mean the yellow tub we keep you baseball glove and nerf guns in? ... No. He's not going to stay in there."

"Okay."

While shopping Sunday afternoon, he started asking again about putting his lizard in his room if he kept it with his outside toys. I reminded him his outside toys are kept in a plastic tub - no lid, just an open box. The lizard would NOT stay in there. He's not an inside pet. I could see the wheels turning in his little 6 year old brain, but he assured me he had already let his lizard go ... outside.

That evening while I was getting dinner ready and hollering for the kids to wash their hands and come to the table, Logan frantically responded, "just a minute!" Ryan and I could hear scrummaging in his bedroom and when he peeked on the kids he could hear them saying, "Lizzy. Liiiizzzzyyy."

"Logan, what are you two doing?" Daddy asked.
"Uh ... we're looking for Lizzy my lizard. Chelsea's helping me look for my lizard." (notice he's trying to get his sister involved - I suspect so he'll have someone to share the blame with.)

Immediately Ryan starts getting anxious. Did you hear him? Did he bring his lizard in here? I assured him the lizard had been released outside. I'm sure he's looking for his beanie baby lizard, 'Lizzy'.

"Right Logan, are you looking for your beanie baby lizard, Lizzy?" I shouted from the kitchen.

"Yes!" he replied. And I didn't even give it a second thought.

Until the next day.

He was definitely not looking for his beanie baby.

He genuinely believed that if he put that lizard in the box with no lid, that the lizard would stay. Surely the lizard won't crawl up the side ... (really? I know you are a smart kid!!!)

He really really really was looking for that very alive lizard. The very alive lizard as it turns out - he had released in his 'outside toys' box - in his bedroom. Fortunately I believed him - because had I known the truth there would have been some blood shed at the Branam house that night.