Miriam, racing into the bathroom: Rose's butterfly! It's out of it's cocoon! It's flapping its wings!

I am in the bathroom helping Ariana get into her bunny towel. David is still in the tub, but he hops out right away and we all run to Rose's room, two naked, four very excited kids to sit on the floor and stare at the painted lady who is, sure enough, flapping wings.

For her birthday last year Rose got a butterfly kit and she just sent away for the caterpillars a few weeks ago. So, we've been watching them do that amazing thing caterpillars do: wrap themselves in a chrysalis and then emerge changed.

Today we strewed the bottom of the container with flower petals and sugar water and in a few days, when all the butterflies have hatched, we will release them.

It's all quite amazing.