Summer Camp

This year for the months of June and July, we put Hagen in a summer camp at Metroplex Gymnastics in Allen (where he had his birthday party in May). He was old enough to participate in the camp, plus he would get swimming lessons every day since he is full-time, every day. I gave him the option before school was over of doing the summer camp, explaining that his Star Creek friends wouldn't be there but he'd make all new friends, or staying at Star Creek for the summer, and he chose the camp. He has been having a GREAT time, and Shawn and I even took him to Parent's Night Out there last Saturday night to try it out, and since there were two counselors there that he knew, he did great! I've been told he is quite spoiled at camp and all the female counselors just love him. He seems to have fun playing with the dudes, too (one told me when he came the other day, Hagen was waiting for him by the window). He is getting over his fear of some of the activities they have there, too, since he's been going so much; he does flips into the foam block pit (Shawn and I witnessed that Saturday night!) and does the zip line, also, which he wouldn't go anywhere near at his party.

One of the awesome things, too, is that Metroplex has a Facebook page and they post pictures every week from camp. I've saved the ones that Hagen has been in. Here's a little glimpse into camp life from the last month!

This is Coach Colin, the one Hagen was waiting for.

Hagen is sitting in the female counselor's lap on the far right of the picture (the girl in the red shirt). This is when the spoiledness (yes, I know that's not really a word) started, I think.

They had a day where they played with shaving cream, and the older kids had a shaving cream fight. I remember having shaving cream days when I taught preschool and how much the kids loved that, so I guess that hasn't changed. And the benefits are twofold; the kids have great fun, AND the tables get all nice and clean and smell so good.

Hagen and a new buddy.

This week is "Abracadabra Week" and they had a magician come on Wednesday. Hagen had told me he assisted her with a trick and there are a couple of pictures of him helping her.

That's my boy...lifting his shirt up...*sigh*.

One of the main reasons I was excited about this camp, also, was that he would get swimming lessons every day. Unfortunately he got off to a rough start when the instructor put him underwater the first two days, and Hagen was DONE after that. He wouldn't even let me bring his swim stuff to camp, he was THAT adamant about not doing it. I talked to the swim director about it and asked if they could go more slowly with him and not put him underwater until he said he was ready. Miss Lacey, the director, was really sweet and she flat-out apologized to Hagen for causing him to lose their trust and she she hoped they could build that trust back up. The first day we attempted to get him back in the pool I came to watch and he actually did more than I thought he would - I told her it might take major baby steps to get him back in the water, but he did get in and after a little bit let her take him out a little ways. He made sure to tell her he didn't want to go under, and she promised she wouldn't make him. Over the weeks he has built up trust with her and last night, he told me he went underwater! They have done a really good job of teaching him to blow bubbles and he told me he did that and didn't choke, so I think he's okay with it now that he's tried it. Miss Lacey messaged me on Facebook and shared a picture she took (Hagen was with another instructor this week) and there was one more on Facebook, so here they are!