Bird is the word.

Ashton was outside playing and Aiden was asleep inside, so I was busy going back and forth...

I came in and sat down, to rest my oh-so-busy mommy legs, then a minute later, Ashton come running in saying "mommy, birdie, mom, birdie, birdie...." I kept saying ya, yup...birdies (only half paying attention)... but he finally said "birdie, die". I have never heard him say die before so, I turned around to see him. He was gripping a bird in his little fist!!! I, naturally, shrieked which made Ashton instantly drop the poor lifeless bird right onto the floor.

I had so many thoughts in my mind...where did this bird come from?...why would he bring it inside?...did he kill this bird?... how am I going to get it outside?.... how much soap do I need to use to wash his hands?

I knew it needed to be buried so my son wouldn't touch it again and obviously, it was up to me. So, my first objective (after taking a picture) was to find a way to get it outside...

Ziploc bags and dust pans did the trick.

Once we were outside, I asked Ashton were he found the bird... he ignored me. I asked him again, "where did this bird come from"? He pointed to the sky... I asked him to show me and he pointed to the sky, again, and said "fall, mommy".

His answer satisfied me. :(

I was half relieved that my son didn't kill him-- and half sad that the bird fell from the sky to his death, but we prepared his grave and gave him a proper burial....

(which included a lego)

Thanks little bird for falling into our lives today, you gave my son one of his first experiences with death and helped me pay extra attention to the beautiful, alive, birds all around me.

R.I.P.