I have never in my life had an opportunity to watch baby animals in the wild being born in front of my eyes.  The kids were just as excited as I was when we saw them.



Here's how it happened.  Last month I noticed that a little Jumping spider had built a nest in one of my son's dump trucks that was laying on our deck.  The mother spider was sitting right next to the silken egg sac, and I could see all the minuscule eggs inside.  I let it be and forgot about for a few days.  The next time I watered our flowers, I saw that the nest had been flooded by rain that had collected in the "bucket" part of the dump truck.  I quickly emptied it and saw the mother clinging to the side, so I moved it to a safe spot.  I checked it a few times over the next month and didn't see anything, so figured the nest had perished in the flood.  :(


Today we were eating lunch on the deck and playing.  While I was cleaning up toys, I found the forgotten dump truck covered with film of dirt.  I checked the nest by touching it with my finger.  Low and behold a teeny, weeny little baby spider popped out!  Then another, and another!  I realized I happened to check the nest on the very day all those little guys were hatching from their eggs!  Amazing.  I called the kids over to watch and they were amazed too.

Thinking back on it, I realize that I am one strange mom.  Here I am, writing about how excited I am to watch baby spiders hatch, when most other people either wouldn't care or would even think it's gross.  On top of it, I make a point of showing my kids.  Maybe it's just plain weird.  Oh well, that's what happens when the resident nature girl is your mom I guess!