Bug Camp

Two of Lucy's friends from school invited her to go to bug camp with them. Under normal circumstances, there is NO WAY that girl would go to bug camp, but because Megan and Macy were going there was NO WAY she wasn't going. All summer she's been talking about bug camp and all the bugs she does and does not like. Bug camp started on Monday morning, two days after she turned four (a very important fact Lucy likes everyone to know). It's from 9-1 and the kids eat lunch there. It's about 20 minutes away (definitely outside of our little bubble) and there's no car pool lane. I factor about 30 minutes, loading the brood in the van, and getting them all out to take Lucy in.

We walked in Monday morning and there was the director from her pre-school, Ms. Cindy. She's one of the teachers for the bug camp. Ms. Cindy is probably one of the top 10 sweetest ladies I know, maybe even top 5. Love her. Lucy ran up to her and gave her a huge hug. Then Gus did, too. Which is funny, he only knows her in passing from Lucy's pre-school events. Lucy looked around the room, found the cubby hole with her name on it, put her lunch bag in the cubby hole, and then sat down at a table and started on a project. I was amazed. She'd seen the room once before, two months ago, and she came in the first day of camp like she owned the place. I love her confidence and how secure she is in her own skin!

Gus is having a really, really hard time that he's not going to bug camp, too. I've tried to make our time together special, so he doesn't feel so left out. Yesterday we went to the mall and played in the play area and ate at the food court. I do not like food courts. I can't stand them, actually, but for Gus I will happily eat at a food court. Then I let him run at the mall (it's not a busy mall). He was in heaven! This week has been really great for the two of us. Our relationship feels back to normal, like it was before we had Judson. The one-on-one time has definitely helped. Gus is capitalizing on his time with Judson, too. He feels responsible, especially because Lucy isn't around.

I'm a totally different parent to Gus than I am to Lucy. Gus has made me loosen up a lot. If I were as strict with him as I was for Lucy, I literally think the only word he would hear is "NO!" The other morning I let him play with water in the sink, which is huge for me. I hate messes and I hate cleaning up messes. But I've learned that water is a clean mess, especially in our "new" bathroom. I keeps Gus occupied and out of bigger messes. Today was water day at bug camp and Lucy got to wear her swim suit. Gus wanted to wear his, too, so I let him (another thing I would have NEVER have done with the girl). We went to bug camp and Target with Gus wearing his lobster swim trunks and red swim shirt. Then I let him come home and play in the tub for about 30 minutes so he could have a water morning like Lucy. The kid is funny. He's good intentioned, so he doesn't always mean to be funny, he just is. This morning I brought in the new box of diapers from Target and set them by the side door. As I was feeding Judson I heard the front door open and close. I asked Gus to stay in the house and come upstairs. He came up and said, "I not wike (like) new diapers. I put outside." Seriously? He put the diapers out on the front porch! All I could think about is that we watched The Flinstones for the first time last week, just one episode. I wonder if he got from that show, that if you don't like something you put it out on the front porch? It was so hard keeping a straight face telling him, "Don't put the diapers out on the front porch!" And he looks at me, all curious and says, "Why?" Like I'm the crazy one.

Lucy loves bug camp. As we were walking out today she said, "Mommy, the only bugs I don't like now are roaches." I completely understand that.