Me: Mabes, why are you walking like that?
Mabel: Bugs.
Me: Bugs on the ground?
Mabel: Everywhere. In the air.
Me: Oh. Well, bugs live outside Mabes. We don't have to be afraid of them. They're much smaller than we are.
Mabel: But they fly. They get on me.
Me: Uh huh. But they don't hurt you, right? They just go about their business.
Mabel: You mean they go to work?
Me: Sure, they have jobs to do and they're out getting their work done.
Mabel: (Snorts) That's ridiculous.
Me: Look closely, I think that one has a briefcase.
Mabel: MOMMY!
Me: I'm just kidding. But they have jobs, and our big feet sometimes make it hard for them to do what they need to do.
Mabel: Because they're stinky?
Me: No. Because they have to worry that we might step on them or be afraid and swat them.
Mabel: Swat?
Me: Swat means hit.
Mabel: Hitting isn't nice. We don't hit people.
Me: Well, we shouldn't hit bugs either. We just get out of their way and wish them well.
Mabel: I'm not going to hit bugs. I'm not going to run from them either, because I might step on them.
Me: Good idea Mabes.
A wasp floats lazily around Mabel. She stands perfectly still and screams at the top of her lungs - horror movie scream - pure terror. Despite this, the wasp takes awhile to float away.
Mabel: See Mommy? While I was screaming I was thinking about good things happening to that bug. I wished him well.
Mabel: Good for you, Mabesy.
Me: Well, it's just like this - I'm growing up.
