Picklebugs

There is a common theme in the Chinese adoption community about ladybugs. It has something to do with an old Chinese belief that a red thread connects all people who are destined to meet and that the ladybug carries that thread. Ladybugs are considered to be positive and lucky. And yes, Eva has her share of things that are ladybug... most of which were obtained during the long wait for referral. Imagine my surprise, therefore, when I discovered that my daughter is terrified of ladybugs, or picklebugs as she calls them. She hates them.

Ladybugs have caused her to squeal in terror, tear off clothing, refuse to sit in a specific location and to leave her time out spot. On Monday night, this week, Eva woke up in the middle of the night, obviously having had a nightmare. After we got her calmed down, and we told her that everything was all right and nothing would hurt her, she looked at us and said, "Picklebugs are gone now?" We assured her they were and then sighed that our daughter's nightmare was apparently about ladybugs. Granny thought it would help for her to learn a poem, something about "Ladybug, Ladybug, fly away home. Your house is on fire and your children are alone." Personally, this poem makes me kind of sad, thinking about the little scared ladybug babies... but Granny thought it would empower Eva. So, Tuesday night, as I am getting Eva to sleep, I notice that she has squeezed her entire body onto the pillow. I wouldn't have cared except every time she moved, she bumped her head onto the head post and I was worried she was going to wake up with a black and blue head. So, I tried to pull her down so she was laying on the bed with only her head on the pillow. This act elicited tremendous, frightful screams. I asked her what was wrong and she said, "Picklebugs on bed." I didn't see any ladybugs and so I told her that they had left and were gone. She then recited the poem Granny taught her, well sort of, she did say "Picklebugs, fly home." I assured her that they did and she calmed down and finally managed to fall asleep without incessantly bumping her head.

I share this story because I think it is really funny. Every time I read something in our adoption community there is much about ladybug art, items, sightings, stories etc... And every time I see it, I smile to myself and think about my little Chinese girl who hates the innocuous ladybug.