Obsessed with butterflies

We are slightly obsessed with butterflies right now. It started with our homegrown caterpillars... continued with the transformation to butterflies... and today's visit to KU's Monarch Watch was the grand finale. Friday morning, we sat and watched our third and final butterfly emerge:

After storytime at the library, we took the butterfly outside to be free. Sadly, this is the one that I carefully tied up with dental floss because the chrysalis fell - and she came out with a hole in her wing. I love the top right picture where Abby looks so concerned as she's telling Elise that the monarch may not be able to fly.

And, as I mentioned above, our visit to the Monarch Watch this morning was grand. Butterflies everywhere! I think Abby would have spent hours in the butterfly house, talking to, kissing, and holding the butterflies. Elise fell in love with a little swallowtail caterpillar. As with many things, I want to kiss their little faces every time they say "monarch" and "chrysalis".