Not so leaping lizard

So we are finally outside after being cooped up on a coldish, wettish day. I am sweeping leaves, Claire is just coming out after putting shoes on (shamingly, it's almost 5 and she is in her PJ's - still) and Gavin is playing with the shallow dog dish that is full of water and leaves and...an unfortunate lizard who had clearly been stuck in there for just a little too long. I learn this when Claire says, "Gavin has a lizard!" I run over and Gavin drops the two bits of lizard from his hands. After the obvious inital thought, "Oh sh*t- Gavin is going to be a serial killer because he tore this lizard in half" I realize that one piece is just the tail and lizards tails are meant to do that. It doesn't make me feel better at all. The lizard lay there, watching as its tail twitched and curled and squirmed around. For like, 10 minutes. Seriously. Instead of being a take-charge, no-nonsense sort of mom, all I could do was keep the kids away and consider what a terrible way for this creature to go...watching motionless as its unattached tail put on quite a show. I knew I should put it out of its misery or at least get rid of the sickeningly active tail or something. As it turns out, it's a good thing I didn't because the lizard made a recovery of sorts and is now safe and warm in a tupperware container on our counter. We'll see if he makes morning. Maybe I will release him into the garage where every summer we seem to have several that crap extensively down the wall. Gross. Anyway, the tail is still out on the porch. It finally, finally stopped moving, but I am sure it you poked it it would give one more flip. Shane assured me that they eject their tails and then the tails twitch as a distraction while they get away. I hope it was that and not my sweet little son displaying the first signs of sociopath-ism. (I just looked into the container to check the status of our patient. He still seems to be alive-ish. The mosquito that I killed and put in ther for his dinner has also come back to life. We've got freaking pet semetary (sic) over here.)