John's camp 2015

John has spent the past two summers at Briar Hill Camp in Freehold.  I'm so glad that I found this place.  This camp has all activities on the property, so I don't have to worry about traveling for trips.  They have instructional swim in the morning and free swim in the afternoon, plus they get to use the spray ground during the day too.  They bring in inflatables, rides, special shows and events all summer long.  Plus the big kids get to choose a weekly elective  Briar Hill also has a photographer on staff, so the parents get to see some of the fun things they do all week long.  Here are some of the photos of John from this summer.

Beach boy

John went to the beach again today with Aunt Betty, Grandma and Grandpa. He is quite the beach bum. He loves to build castles, search for shells (or sand dollars) and just catch some rays. 

But his favorite thing has to be playing in the waves. He spends most of his time at the beach in the water. 

I can't wait to take him tomorrow and play in the sand with my beach boy. 

Last day

Today was John's last day of camp. He was not happy that the end was here. This morning he said "I just wish summer would last forever." I can't blame him. This summer has been really great. We found a great camp for him and he has had a lot of fun. He has gotten more confident swimming. He has made new friends. Gone zip lining. Enjoyed electives like archery, pottery, lanyard making, and cartooning. It's been an awesome summer. Until next year Camp Briar Hill!

First day of camp

Today was John's first day at Briar Hill camp. Since his camp is close to my office, I get to drop and pick him up. We arrived at camp and I walked in with John. He dropped his bag and immediately went over to a boy that way playing. I checked him in, gave him a quick kiss and walked out the door. And that's when it hit me. He's not a baby anymore. He was ready for this next step. I wasn't. 

I picked him up from camp. When I arrived, he was in the middle of a group of kids watching a movie. I signed him out and we headed to the car. Before I could ask him about his day he said "I didn't get to do the zip line." I had to laugh. There's no way that they would get to do everything on the first day! Anyway, as we walked to the car, John pointed it a tree that his group decorated with yarn. He told me "We got to see a show. That guy could juggle! But we didn't go on that playground over there (as he pointed out the window). And can you make sure I get a snack for the afternoon?" He was a little all over the place. I asked him a few questions, "tell me about the bunny barn." He said "The bunny barn is were we meet. And you know what? There are two games. One is a racing game. And the other, you aren't going to believe this it's a golf game!" We talked about the video games for a little bit and then he was quiet for awhile. He broke the silence and said "I wish I got a deep water bracelet." I said "Yes. It would be great. But you are just learning to swim. And you will have plenty of time to get a deep water bracelet." He seemed to be okay with that and started telling me about how he got to go in the pool twice and the splash park once. He also got an orange ice pop for a snack! Sounds like a pretty awesome first day of camp to me!

Swimming

Yesterday, we spent the day at Aunt Missy's parent's house. The Akers (or DaBakers as Gilly says) have a pool and we were lucky to be invited over to BBQ and swim. The kids didn't waste any time and were in the pool within minutes of our arrival (which means mommy was too). Gillian insisted that we put every raft and noodle possible in the pool. We had more rafts than people!

John splashed Gillian in the face. Gillian was not happy and she got out of the pool and sat on a lounge chair. She pouted for a little bit and then said to me "My face is not wet. Can I go back in?" It's hard to argue with that. She came back in the pool and swam a little more. She took another break later to have a snack. I laid out a towel for her and she had a little picnic. 

At some point she asked Mrs. Aker, "Where's Aunt Missy's room?" Mrs. Aker showed Gillian and all that did was spark more questions. "Why are the walls blue and green?" "Why she no live here anymore?" "Why does she have so much junk?" And then somehow Gillian ended up with a new pink teddy bear! She told me "I like him!"

Meanwhile, John was happily swimming all over the pool. He didn't get out until he was hungry. He ate a hot dog and some tater tots and went back into the pool. They were content to have the whole pool to themselves. 

We had a great time! Here are a few pictures of the kids enjoying the pool!

Waterlogged

John and Gillian spent the night at Mimi and Poppy's house last night. Daddy and I went to pick them up and found them playing in Mimi's backyard on John's big water slide. They were so excited to see us and tell us about their night. After a quick hello, John showed us how he went down the slide (Last year he was a little unsure, check out last summer's blog post called "Water slide."). While we were watching the kids play, Mimi got a call from Uncle T. Uncle T and Aunt Missy were at Aunt Missy's parents house and we were all invited too. We let the kids play for a little bit longer. Gillian finally got the nerve to try the slide. She did it once and landed in the water and said "Yes!" She loved it. But only when she was by herself without a big audience. 

Gillian does not like to be in a wrt bathing suit. If she is out of a pool for longer than two minutes then she wants out if her bathing suit too. Before we went to Aunt  Missy's parents house, Gillian asked to be changed. When we arrived at Aunt Missy's parents house John and Daddy went right into the pool. I had to convince Gillian to put on her bathing suit (or bath-ing suit as she would say). I got her in her suit, but she was unsure about going in the pool. Aunt Missy found Gillian some chips and she happily sat in a chair and ate her chips (and didn't share). 

John, on the other hand, was swimming all over the pool. He made friends with Aunt Missy's Aunt Maryann. With the help of Aunt Maryann John swam easily fifty laps. Gillian finally joined us in the pool. She swam all over the pool too. We pulled the kids out of the pool to eat. They both ate dinner. And John was dying to go back in the pool. I told him he had to wait until an adult was in the pool. The second an adult had their toes wet John asked me "Can I go now? Please?" He went back in the pool and had a great time with less people in the pool. He wasn't afraid to just swim everywhere. 

Again we pulled John out of the pool but this time for cake. He ate his cake and again asked to go in the pool. This time he went in the pool without his floatation device. He can touch in the low end, but he gets very nervous and worried that water will hit him in the face. Since this was now his third time in the pool today he was very brave and didn't get scared when more people joined him in the pool. Gillian also joined John in the pool. She didn't have her floaties on either. Aunt Missy gave her a raft to sit on. She kept showing off the raft to anyone who would listen "Look at my new thing!" "It's for princesses!" "I just laying here!" She was shaking and I decided to pull her out of the pool. She was not happy with my decision. She was also not happy that John climbed onto her raft. "It's for princesses, not brothers!"

Kick!

We took the kids to Aunt Missy's parents house today to go swimming. It was our first time in a big pool this summer. John was super excited to go in the water. But once he was in, he got a little nervous. He forgot that he could touch the bottom on the low end and that his vest would keep his head above the water. We reminded him of these two things and he was off. 

Last summer, Gillian was a water baby. She wasn't afraid of the water. She would just jump in and not pay attention to who was around her. Daddy and I bought her a new floatation device. It goes around her belly and on her arms too like swimmies.  She was a little unsure when she went in the water the first time. But I coached her and told her to kick her feet while she held my hands. After about five trips across the pool she was confident. She was jumping off the edge of the pool to Daddy and swimming without holding onto anyone. As she swam she would say "Kick, kick, kick!" She also found it necessary to tell us to "Kick!" 

Gillian and I swam across the pool to the deep end. She climbed up the ladder and out of the pool. I assumed that she was headed to the steps in the low end, but she went right to the diving board. She climbed up and stood at the edge. She jumped right to Daddy. She did go underwater for a few seconds and was a little shocked. But that didn't stop her. She climbed the ladder again and stood on diving board. I ran to get my phone to video tape it. I took too long and she chickened out. She got off the diving board and walked to steps in the low end of the pool. As her feet hit the water she stopped and said "I peep! I peeped!" She was shocked and a little embarrassed. We reassured her that she wasn't the first person to pee in a pool. 

We all got out of the pool for a little bit and then John went in all by himself. He swam all over the pool while Gillian and I tried to spray him with a water gun. I sat at one end is the pool and aim at him. While Gillian would get up walk all the way around the pool to where John was and then spray him. 

We had so much fun. Thanks to Aunt Missy and her family for letting us play in the pool. 

Beach Day

School was closed on Friday.  I asked Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Betty to watch the kids for the day.  Since Grandma and Grandpa go to the beach everyday they decided to take the kids with them in the morning.  Aunt Betty didn't have school on Friday so she joined them.  Also, Aunt Trish had the week off, so Aunt Trish, Sammie and Kyle also went to the beach. 

I dropped the kids off at Grandma's already dressed in their bathing suits along with some beach toys, towels and a couple of changes of clothes.  I left them in capable hands, and I headed to work. 

A few hours into my day, I received the picture below.  They were already at the beach having fun.  

   
When I picked them up later, I was very anxious to hear all about their day especially their adventure at the beach.  John carried his bag of toys to and from the beach (I warned John that when you go to the beach with Grandma, you have to carry your own stuff.  If you can't carry it, you can't bring it).

John and Gillian loved the water.  John originally told me "I don't want to get my bathing suit wet!"  But according to Grandma, he was in and out of the water all morning long.  And on one of the trips in the water with Aunt Trish, they had to go under a wave.  I know my John was not happy about getting water in his face, but he survived and continued to go in the water.  Grandma told me that he was not a good listener.  Grandma need a short break.  So she told John that he could play in the sand but he could not go in the water without her.  She sat down and before she knew it he was at the water.  He wasn't paying attention and got hit by a wave.  He fell down face first, but got back up again.  John wasn't the only one that had an adventure in the water.  Gillian and Aunt Betty had to go under two waves back to back.  

Overall I think they had a fabulous day at the beach with their cousins, grandparents and aunts.  I asked John if he wanted to go to the beach again.  He said "Yes.  But not that beach.  The water is salt water!"  I told him that all the ocean water is salt water.  He looked at me completely shocked "All the ocean water in the whole world is salt water?!? Oh Man!"
   

Blustery

I had to run a bunch of errands today. Daddy was working today so it was just me and the kids. I piled them into the car around 9 so that we could get to Costco when they opened. It was a gorgeous morning and the kids wanted their windows down. As we are driving along, John says "Do you know what blustery means?" I love moments like this. He explained "It's when it gets really windy. Like right now. Mommy it's blustery now!" And with that comment we rolled the windows up.

Italian Festival

Last night we took the kids to the Italian Festival at Freehold Raceway. There were rides and food and fireworks.  John was very excited about going on the rides.  The first one he went on Gillian was able to go with him.  She was a little unsure at first going by herself, but after the ride started she was so happy.

Gillian loved her first ride and was very disappointed that she couldn't go on the next ride with John.  John flew the airplanes solo.  The airplane ride was one where the kids could control if they went up or down.  John spent most of the ride up in the air.  John and Daddy went on the spinning monkey ride. 

After the spinning monkey ride, John got to go on another one solo.  It was a bouncing car ride.  John jumped into the number one car and was on his way.



The next ride was the Flintstones ride.  Gillian was big enough to go on it, but accompanied by an adult.  I got to ride with the kids.  John drove while Gillian and I hung out in the back of the car.  John is really funny on the rides.  He kept telling Gillian, "If you push the buttons, then you will fly out of the car.  You can't use the steering wheel, cause I'm driving!"

Gillian was too small for the next ride, and John actually had to have an adult accompany him.  So I got to ride the hang gliders with John.  Of course he wanted to get a green hang glider, the first one we got to was broken.  He was so disappointed.  But luckily we were one of the first people in line, so we were able to get a green glider.  He has been on a ride like this before, but this one was a little bit bigger and went higher than before.  He was really calm and cool while we were waiting for the ride to start.  He told me where to put my hands and that it would go up high in the air.  As soon as we were up high in the air he said "I am not doing this again.  Never ever again!!"

Our next ride, Gillian was able to go with us.  John, Gillian and I got to ride on the dogs.  On this ride, the dogs go up and down. Gillian and I rode together and John rode with another little girl in the car behind us.  As we were flying up and down, I could hear behind me "Mommy, Gilly!  Push the button, you can hear the music!"  Daddy and John got to go on the next ride together.  It was a barn that went up in the air and twisted around. After the barn, we all went on the ferris wheel together.  John was really scared to go on the ferris wheel.  He didn't like the height, but by the end of the ride he loved it. He admitted "It was fun!"

We met up with one of Daddy's colleagues and walked thru the rest of the festival with him and his wife.  John got his arm painted and no trip to a festival is complete without some cotton candy.  We used up the rest of our ride tickets and by then it was 8:30.  The kids were pretty exhausted, so we decided to leave instead of staying for the fireworks.  I think that was a good decision, considering John slept until 9 am this morning.  He never sleeps in that late!