Sam's Camp Begins!

Sunday we went to the Meet the counselor day at camp. We got to the room a few minutes late because the parking situation was awful. The kids were sitting at a long table doing arts and crafts and Sam took a seat and started playing. He was across and down a couple seats from on of his favorite classmates from school, Sarah. Sam tried to talk to her but it was very noisy. Finally the kids next to her got up to do something else and he ran over to sit next to her. There was never anything formal so we never even got to know the names of his counselors. I gave the photos we were asked to bring to his head counselor and introduced myself. There are 4 counselors in total for the 16 kids in the group. The session ended abruptly and we headed to get more t-shirts, which it turns out they ran out of the size we need and had to order. We also got to write notes that would be given to Sam on his first day. Then we went out to the parking lot and got ice cream from the truck they had arranged to be there. Sam was excited and we were too, with a bit of nervousness too.

The next day, yesterday, was the first day. We were told that they camp bus would arrive at 8:20 and that we should be ready 15 minutes early. So we got Sam up at about 7:20 and at about 7:55 he was at the kitchen table being presented with a waffle. He said it was hot and then there was a knock at the door. The bus was nearly 25 minutes early! The bus counselor said they were sorry and they were working out the route and by Friday we should know when they would arrive. I shoved a breakfast bar into his hand. He took the girl's hand and off he got onto the bus happy as can be. Mich and I nearly died as we watched him drive off in that bus.

We both came home early to see the bus arrive. The bus leaves camp at 2:00 and he is the first stop getting home. So at about 2:05 we saw the bus drive past the house. They turned around and came back around, he came off the bus with a giant smile. He said that he had a great day and that was basically it. Nice huh, it started already. He doesn't tell us anything. So we ask him many questions and learn that he didn't swim because it was raining, that they had animal crackers as a snack, that the piece of pizza they gave him for lunch was really big and he ate the whole thing. I then asked him what his favorite part of camp was and he said riding on the bus with Sarah. So then I asked him for his first, second and third favorite things were. Number one was riding home on the bus with Sarah, number two was playing with Sarah at camp and number three was riding to camp on the bus. Last night after bath and books he said, "we were in the library today and they were asking us questions. They had a big gold metal. I asked in my nice big boy voice, may I please hold the gold metal, and they let me. I was so happy to get to hold it, it was big and really made of gold!" Who knows what that means, it is awful sweet though.

This morning he was very excited to go and we got breakfast in before the bus arrived at 8:15. I got a report from him on the phone when he got home. He said they went swimming, that his counselors go in the pool with them. He said he had a great time and they he wasn't tired. That was it. I spoke to Sue at 2:30 and he was asleep.

I dropped Isaac off at camp this morning. He didn't want to go. He said no camp, no back pack. Poor guy. Sue picked him up and they said that he was pretty unhappy for most of the time until they went outside and then he was like a new boy. Sue said he was very happy to see her. I decided that I'm not going to take him anymore. Maybe if I can swing picking him up a couple times during the summer.