Cub Scout Camp

We were fortunate that Todd was on a rotation in June that would allow him a week vacation. With Evelyn's due date being on Saturday, June 16th, we figured that his week vacation would be around that time. We later found out that Mikey's Cub Scout camp was June 18-22.

This being Mikey's first year at camp, Todd wanted to go with him. We figured that I would either have the baby a little before camp, or most likely the week of camp. If that were to be the case, we figured Todd could just miss one of the days of camp for the birth (since it was just a day camp from 8-3 each day).
I was a little hesitant for Todd to volunteer to go to camp, just because sometimes I try to be tough, but then sometimes I just need some extra help and support. I knew that my mom would be with me to help, so I figured maybe it would all be okay. Then I found out that adult volunteers could bring their non-cub scout children to the camp where they would get to play and do projects with other volunteers' kids. That sealed the deal, Todd was volunteering and all the boys would be going with him every day.

Set for the first day

My due date came and went, and I was still pregnant. Sunday night, the night before the first day of camp, I was nervous that I would go into labor Monday morning and Todd and Mikey would miss the orientation of the first day of camp. No such luck. I ended up finishing the week still pregnant.
I can't complain about the week too much. Besides the fact that I was incredibly uncomfortable (my body and I were done being so large and prego) and that it was one of the hottest weeks, it was actually quite enjoyable. My family was there with me, so I got to spend some time with my sisters, mom, and dad. We usually went to lunch each day, and always seemed to manage finding an ice cream place to go to as well. I felt as though I was on a mini vacation inside an incredibly uncomfortable body.

Mikey seemed to have a good time at camp - he's not the most expressive kid. He's also very even-kill. There's not much that he absolutely loves nor is there much that he absolutely hates. He's usually very content. He did do a good job talking to other kids. In fact at first he was placed with a group that did not include the kids from his pack. Todd went to go talk to the head guy to get Mikey with his pack and by the time Todd came back to where Mikey was, Mikey was talking to the other kids and already made several friends, all of which were sad to see Mikey go to another group. It took Mikey a couple of days to figure out the system of the camp, but that's normal with all the first years. I am told that he did excel in the knot-tying, but that's no surprise since he has been tying dog leashes and other things to cars and toys.

Since the hours of camp were similar to those of most schools, my dad warned me that I may like it and end up sending my boys to school in the fall. I agreed that it was nice to have a little break. The boys on the other hand were not huge fans. For one, it was quite hot that week and they were outside all day. That was probably William's only complaint for that boy is one social kid, he loves being around people and makes friends so incredibly easily.

Here's Roger and Grant with some of the other kids with siblings in Scouts

Grant loves this kid

Grant and Roger hated being away from me. Grant tends to be a little shy and takes some warming up to people and situations (very age-appropriate), and Roger though he loves being with other people and doing social things, he also likes to be with those he loves most, which in this case is me. Roger was telling me how he had fun at camp, but that he wishes that he could be with me, for he missed me so. I tried to explain to him that he gets to spend a lot of time with me, more than most kids his age gets to spend with their mom. I told him that most kids are at school for the same amount of time he was at camp each day. Mikey heard this conversation and said, "Thank you for doing homeschool so I could spend time with you".
Roger agreed and said, "Yes, because we hate being away from you".
They did have fun, and even though they aren't use to being away from me so much, I thought it was good for them. Each day they did come home hot and exhausted. 

Todd was the real trooper of this whole thing. My dad was convinced that Todd doesn't like his in-laws for he is either always trying to be busy at work when they're visiting, or if he's not working, he's willing to endure Cub Scout camp just to avoid my family (joking of course). Todd came home hot and exhausted as well. He was in charge of Mikey's group, twelve 8 year-olds. After the second day he (little bit exaggerating) said that he realized that he doesn't like anyone else's kids but his own. There were a couple of kids in the group that made things difficult, and Todd giggled like a school girl on Thursday when 2 of them didn't come for other reasons.

All the people that volunteered all 5 days

Todd's group of kids doing a skit on the last day

Todd said it was one of the hardest things. He works hard all year, gets a week of vacation and he spends it watching all these kids at Scout camp. I told him that I would easily rather run a marathon than do what he was doing. I even agreed that it was more draining and difficult than an Ironman. Of course afterwards Todd said that he would volunteer again next year for he saw how important it is to have parental support. That's why I love him.
The last day, Friday, parents were invited to come for a portion when the children would be performing skits. It was fun to see them all, but I was glad that I didn't have to be there all week. I saw a friend who went with her daughters to Young Women's Camp, which was during the same week. She said that she would much rather spend a week with the girls at their camp than at the Scout camp. Having gone to YW Camp as a leader several times, I would have to agree.