Camp!

While Julia enjoyed Farm Camp a few weeks back, Madeleine had to wait until this week to have her own camp experience.  Today was her first day of Mini-Evergreen Camp, a camp which is run by the town Parks and Recreation department and which Madeleine attended for a week last summer as well.  Because of the fact that she has been to this camp before, Madeleine found herself confused as to how to describe her first camp day of the summer.

It began like this:

JULIA: (annoyed) Mommy?  Madeleine is saying it's her SECOND day of camp, not her FIRST day of camp, and she won't listen to me that it's NOT her second day.  She keeps saying it's her SECOND day because she says she's already been there before.
ME: She probably thinks that because she went to the same camp last summer.  She means it's her second year, not second day.


After having Julia school her on this, Madeleine gave the matter more consideration.  On our walk to camp drop-off this afternoon, Madeleine amended her earlier statement.

MADELEINE: Oh.  Julia.  This is the second WEEK of camp.  By accident I said the second DAY, but it's actually the second WEEK of camp.
JULIA: Well Madeleine, you didn't go to camp last week.
MADELEINE: I know.  But Julia.  It's my second week of camp because...I went to that camp...the last...uh...
ME: You went to the same camp last year.  This is your second YEAR of camp.
MADELEINE: (cheerfully) Oh.  Yeah!  Julia.  It's my second YEAR of camp.

Good thing Madeleine cleared that up for us all.

When we got to the drop-off, Madeleine excitedly greeted a preschool friend who is also signed up for the same camp session.  Julia, apparently worried that the camp counsellors might mistake Madeleine's much taller and much older-looking sibling for a YOUNGER sister, felt the need to loudly exclaim, "Mommy?  I'm not ALLOWED to go to Mini-Evergreen camp, because I'm SEVEN AND HALF.  And I'm going to be in SECOND GRADE." 

Phew.  Good thing she addressed that.  The camp counsellors heard it loud and clear.  Julia is a BIG KID.  She's too OLD FOR THIS MINI-EVERGREEN NONSENSE. 

At any rate, Madeleine thoroughly enjoyed her second first day of camp, and even had enough energy to head over to the pool for a quick free swim before we called it a day.  Lucky for me that we got a chance to do free swim, because I got to play Madeleine's NEWEST version of "Fishy, Fishy Cross My Ocean," called "Crossie, Crossie Cross My Ocean."  I had heretofore sat on the bench watching Ethan play this game with Madeleine, so as you can imagine, I was feeling pretty anxious to take part myself.  I had even mentioned to Ethan how much I enjoyed hearing him play this game with Madeleine yesterday.

ME: I got a kick out of hearing you say, "Crossie, Crossie, Cross My Ocean" to Madeleine.
ETHAN: I particularly liked having to say that within earshot of about a dozen adults.
ME: I bet.

Well, I am left out of the fun no longer.  Today I was fortunate enough to be Crossie, and let me tell you: I totally crossed that ocean.