There aren’t too many things that I’m afraid of. Drowning, definitely. Public embarrassment, sure. But I’m not afraid of the dark, I don’t get nervous when I fly, and I’m even starting to overcome my aversion to creepy crawlies. However, there is one thing that really unnerves me – more than spiders, snakes, worms, even cockroaches. It’s crabs.

I think that it started in the fall, six years ago. Eric and I had driven to Sandbridge for the day. We had been there for hours before I realized that there were hundreds of nearly invisible sand-colored crabs skittering all over the ground. How many had I stepped on without realizing it? How many had grazed my feet?

I insisted that Eric carry me off the beach. I was eighteen.

I don’t mind eating crabs, I just don’t want to touch them. I’m afraid that they will pinch me, even if they are dead. Eric is aware of my crab-pinching phobia, and he does not hesitate to exploit it. He uses the inordinately wide gap between his big toe and his second toe to pinch my ankles when we’re in bed.

The gap between his toes is a trait that – to my horror – Dash inherited. I am doomed.

When we were invited to Jason’s house a few months ago for shrimp and crab legs, I should have known that they would try to pull some shenanigans. Not only did they give the baby a sharp crab claw to play with…

…they teased me by pulling the tendon in a crab claw to simulate pinching Dash’s head.

Ugh.

Otherwise, the party was a blast. Jason and his girlfriend, Laura, cooked delicious food, and their fridge is always full of beer.

Eric and I are the first couple in our small group of friends to have a baby, but Dash fits right in. Jason never hesitates to pick up Dash. He’s so comfortable with babies, even though he doesn’t have one.

Jeremiah and Jessicka were there, too. I’ve known Jessicka for even longer than I’ve known Eric. She and Jeremiah had just gotten engaged five days before these photos were taken.

As evidenced by the disaster on the kitchen table, we ate nearly all of the food. Jason and Laura ingeniously thought to cover the table with paper bags before we ate, so it was quick and easy to clean up.

After dinner, we played a few games of Apples To Apples. Due to an unlucky draw of cards, there may have been some inappropriate anti-Semitic jokes. Dashiell disapproves.

Dinner, beer, and board games – that’s pretty much a typical night out with our friends!

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