This year on our vacation we enrolled Bree in a day camp for a few days. This felt like such a big step for her as it was her first time being out on her own with a bunch of other children. I was so curious (and a little worried) about how she would adapt, and of course she did just fine! The camp had said we could get our money back if she did not enjoy it and did not want to stay. Dan dropped her off in the mornings and on her first day she was super excited. The camp director took one look at her and told Dan it wasn't going to be a problem.
While Bree swam and went boating and played with her new friends, Daddy, Mommy and baby brother went out to eat some yummy seafood lunches! I thought about her all day long, wondered what she was doing and whether or not she was wondering when she would see us again. At one point I was sitting with Baby Ben and happened to notice her snuggie laying on the bed without her. That really hit me. My baby girl is growing up. She's away at camp with her friends and doesn't even need her snuggie!
Picking her up after her first day at camp was a treat. Baby Ben, Daddy and I got there a little bit early and were looking all over for her. She was in the chipmunks cabin getting changed after swimming. When she came out she didn't see us right away and we were able to watch her for a bit, walking around with her camp issued back pack that was almost as big as she is. Seeing us, her face transformed into that shy smile which I love so much that she reserves for special occasions. Once we got into the car we asked her a ton of questions about her day and her experiences, but Bree did not want to talk about any of it! She was pretty exhausted and fell asleep soon after we drove away.
On Bree's last day at camp I got her to show me around. The boating area, the playground, the swimming pool. She still really never told us much about what she did there, but it is clear that she enjoyed it. At the end of each day she would get an ice cream bar before leaving. When I ask her about what she did at camp, her standard answer is, "Ate ice cream!" I suppose the last thing done is the easiest to remember!
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