Back on the job

Here's a sight I haven't seen in a couple weeks...the little man fast asleep in his own bed. I walked by his room tonight, and his night light was on for the first time in a fortnight. I found it strangely comforting. He was sound asleep, bathed in warm light, and just looked completely at peace.

He returned from camp today...and of course, he had a blast. He couldn't wait to tell me all the things he'd done--ride a pony named Peter Pan, swim in the whale-shaped pool, relax on the porch swing outside his cabin. He canoed across the lake, splashing "muck" all over the counselor whenever he paddled. He made a car in woodshop ("I burnt myself a couple times") and loved the snow cones ("They were carb-free--I ate three!"). His activities were timely (participating in the Silly Olympics) and goofy (he ate an entire spaghetti dinner without using his hands at all). He spent the car ride home singing about 15 new camp songs he'd learned.

But Mark didn't do all the activities--when I asked if he'd gone fishing, he scrunched up his face and told me, horrified, "No--the worms were ALIVE!" He couldn't believe the counselors wanted him to actually hook up a live worm as bait.

"Of course, they're alive," I told him. "That's what fish like to eat, live worms. What do you think, they're gonna eat frozen worms or something, just so you can bait the hooks a little easier?"

That made sense to him. "Frozen would be good--then they wouldn't be all gross."

I just shook my head. "Fine," I said. "Then you can have a frozen hamburger for lunch."

He even brought his own clothes home this time, and another new pair of black jeans.

And so now he's home for good. No more sleepaway camps, or even daycamps. I'm back to work as full-time mom, and it feels pretty good. I REALLY enjoyed my two child-free weeks, but I also missed my little guy. I feel refreshed, recharged, and ready for duty.

(Let's see how long that feeling lasts!)