Safari Summer Camp!!

Our church has a preschool summer camp for kids ages 3-5.  Parker goes on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9:30 to 1:30.  Yesterday was his first day and he was pretty nervous but he did great!  It was SO hard to leave because he was fighting back tears.  He walked into the room and introduced himself to his teachers and asked them what their names were.  He scouted out the room for his friend Sophia.  I hugged him goodbye and he said “I will remember everything so I can tell you when you pick me up” and he turned around and walked towards some friends who were playing on the floor.  He did it! 

I went home and moped around ha ha.  Seriousy – I did not get off the couch for four hours except to microwave my spa lean cusine (which by the way I NEVER have because I eat lunch with Parker every day…it was a sad lunch).  I was so so happy for him but I have never left him somewhere that I did not stay inside the building.  Even during the three months he was in daycare, I was teaching 2 rooms down and I checked on him all day.  I totally knew what he was doing.  But I had nothing about this.  I didn’t know what they were talking about, if they got to go outside, what he ate and how much he ate (an obsession that has not gone away in 3 1/2 years), if he was sitting nervously watching or if he was participating, if he was listening to his teachers or getting into trouble…it’s hard to just miss 4 whole hours when I have been the sole master and conductor of his day for soooo many of them. 

When I picked him up he was beaming.  He had so much fun.  He did not remember everything that happened but I did get lots of info and it sounds like it was really really fun.  They had a safari hunt in a room called “the adventure room” and he walked in a long line to get there.  They ate goldfish for snack.  He ate half of his lunch.  He met new friends, painted elephants, read an elephant book and learned an elephant song that he doesn’t feel like singing. 

Today was day 2 and it was a great day for both of us!  I enjoyed the quiet time at home and cleaned out our closet and put away all of my size 6 clothes that are mocking me and hung up my maternity shirts that are starting to whisper my name.  I did three loads of laundry and ironed Jon’s shirts.  Jon was home for lunch and I enjoyed my grown up food.  We watched grown up tv shows and then it was time to go get the boy.  Yesterday I went into the building to pick up Parker.  They do a carpool but I was hoping to catch a glimpse of him playing so I went in.  I was the only mom who did this and Parker was bummed that he did not get to go outside with his friends so today I waited in the carpool line and watched him sit on the grass chatting it up with the other kids while he waited.   He is so grown up.  I wish I could bring a camera for them to take pictures…yes I am one of those moms.  But I won’t.  I just can’t believe he is old enough and mature enough to keep his little world spinning for four hours without me.  I’m not saying that to be self centered – but things like finding the trash can, picking up his toys, choosing what to do in his free time, managing conflict with other kids, telling the teacher when he has to go to the bathroom, solving his own problems without suggestions…I am very very proud

A note about Baby #2 – I had an ultrasound yesterday and he/she was PERFECT.  I am 10 weeks (tomorrow) and the baby was measuring perfectly.  Great heartbeat – so beautiful to hear.  We were even able to see the baby kicking his little legs and squirming his body around.  I don’t think I realized they started moving like that this early – it is amazing.  I am still pretty tired and feel pretty yucky by the late afternoon but I am so excited to be 2 weeks away from my second trimester.  It’s all unreal STILL.  It is fun to watch Parker do these new big grown up boy things and be thinking about swings and rocking chairs for this baby…

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