Bud,
This was the month of summer camp!! Oh my beloved past time! I can't wait to ship you off to overnight summer camp. Wait. That came out wrong. I meant that I have some of most fond memories of sleepover camps. So much fun. I want you to have all that fun. Me?! Oh, I'd just sit around twiddling my thumbs. (Probably with some sangria! haha) Anyway, yes, camp. First was at St. Gerts but it was only 2 weeks. You love this camp. I wish they did it all summer long. There was a Saturday in there that I think you were actually disappointed that you had to stay home with me. I just loved how everything was so storybook at St. Gerts. You would read a book about fishes. Then make a craft about fishes. Then play a fish water game outside. It was definitely a learning program. And, of course, all the teachers raved about you. You walk in the first day and said "Hi, I'm Wyatt. Renember me?" They were practically begging me to bring you there full time.
You are at camp now with the town. Its a little lame, not going to lie. But you seem to enjoy it. Every time I have been there to peek, it just seems like you play Duck, Duck, Goose or Tag. I guess you are socializing though. On the first day, there were about 30 kids and you didn't know a single person. I signed you in and we sat by a tree for a minute. I started talking to this little girl and sent you to say hello to a little boy who was standing my himself.
"Hi"
"Hi"
"My name is Wyatt. What's yours?"
"Liam"
"Wanna play?" And then you turn and look a me, rubbing your hands with excitement. "Mom, you can go now." You actually had the audacity to look a little annoyed that I was still there. My little social butterfly.
You also started swim lessons at the beach. I have no-so-fond memories of swim lessons at low tide. So I checked some tide charts and got you signed up for high tides. You were so freaking excited for your first lesson. You are generally not afraid of the water. You will go right in anywhere. However, you do know that Long Beach has big waves and you like to stay close by me. And you are super confident at our home beach and pools with your life jacket on. You do well swimming without but I have to be right near you. You still need some help sometimes. So after a few introductory games, the instructors asked if anyone could put their heads underwater. Your hand shot up. And full face, in you go. I have NEVER seen you INTENTIONALLY go under water. And there you go. Like an old pro. Then jump up like "WTF was that!!!" But really. You took it like a champ. Wiped your eyes off and didn't even look up for me. Kid, your amazing. No doubt about it.
Gammy and Pa thought it would be a good idea to break out our trusty canoe the other evening at high tide. We have had this this for a good 15 years and I don't think it has seen the water in the last 5. I was convinced it wasn't sea-worthy but sure, lets do it! You were really excited but somewhere down the line you got canoe mixed up with kayak. So what you were telling everyone you were going out on sounded something like "ky-hugh".
"Hey Gianna! I'm going on a kyhugh!"
"A what?"
"A kyhugh!!!" Then you would get frustrated that no one could understand you but every time we corrected you, you would still stick to kyhugh. You loved the ride and when you got home I asked you how you liked the canoe. "Mom, it was better than Jesus." That must have been a pretty amazing canoe ride!
You asked Pa the other day what happened to his dad. Pa told you that he lived a very long happy life and then he died. (Because thats what Pa does, just lays it out there. He also told you that he got buried. Great thing to tell a 4 year old, surely) He then said that Pop-pops lives in our heads as memories of the times we had together. Of course this conversation lead to days of questions. But overall, I think you pulled something pretty amazing out of it. You told me that people who we love but died live in our head. But people who are alive but just not home live in our hearts so they are always with us. Pretty damn insightful, if you ask me. Yes Wyatt, you are always in my heart. Whether you are 2 inches away from me or 2 miles. You will always be my heart.
I love you everyday,
Mom
No comments:
Post a Comment