The third day of camp we arrived right on time for sign in and at the time Sophia’s buddy came up to us I was squatting trying to convince Sophia to put “friend” in her backpack and to give me back the house keys she was playing with in the car. Sophia saw her buddy and moved around behind me, away from her buddy, and tried to cling to my back. She didn’t cry and she didn’t retain all the Velcro qualities of the previous day, but she still didn’t want to separate from me on her own.
After she was whisked away, I went through the daily paperwork which indicates, who signed the child in, who will sign them out, and that the child doesn’t have any allergies to the food items that will be offered at snack time. I realize that fresh foods are more difficult to keep and because of that, the cost can add up, but I’m still very disappointed in what will be served today.
They made a mini-burger with Nilla Wafer cookies for buns, half an Oreo cookie for the meat patty, and I’m guessing half the white filling. The filling was colored with red and green food coloring for the ketchup and lettuce. On the side were chips that looked very similar to shoe- string potatoes used to represent fries. The only healthy part of the snack was the other side, which were slices of ham that had cream cheese spread on them. The ham and cheese are rolled and sliced for bite-sized ham and cheese swirls. I guess I should just be happy Sophia is in an environment where she can see other kids her age eating these things. It’s just that it would be nice if those things were more like, oh I don’t know, strawberries, carrots, peas, or hell even a real mini-hamburger would be nice.
When I picked up Sophia her buddy told me that Sophia really liked the playground a lot, especially the slide. I already knew that but it’s nice that she had fun with someone other than mommy at the park and that it was clearly visible to her buddy. Last year for Sophia’s second birthday not-a-nanny came to visit. I told her Sophia really likes swimming and runs to the locker room when we arrive and invited her to come with us. After Sophia’s class she asked, “Does Sophia really like it?” We may not see not-a-nanny very often but she knows Sophia well and she couldn’t tell. Yes, she likes it. She’s not protesting and occasionally she’ll smile briefly. That’s about the most I get from her. Sophia and I took a break from her swim classes from about February to June this year. Sophia wanted to play at the park instead and I didn’t want to push swim class to the point of making her hate it, so we took a break. She loves swimming again and now I think it shows a more. She actually participates in class a little more.
Sophia’s buddy also told me that Sophia is very ticklish. Again, yeah, something I know. If a parent with a ticklish kid and doesn’t know it, uummm wow. They’re probably the sort of parent that needs the advice I was receiving from the therapists. Like, “You need to sit on the floor and play with her.” No shit, really?
I asked Sophia’s buddy if Sophia talked at all in the last three days and she told me that she herself hadn’t heard her say anything but that Sophia talked to the occupational therapist that runs one of the classes we attend. I wasn’t surprised at all. That therapist is Sophia’s favorite, but much like her enjoyment of swimming, it’s hard for anyone to tell.
Wednesday:
Today…
I made a…Pencil Critter
I ate a…Cookies (all she ate was the sugar, what a shock)
I liked…Playground
My day was… (in this part of the form the buddy circles one of three choices: fabulous, good, ok) Sophia’s buddy circled fabulous.
Under comments she wrote, “Sophia had lots of fun at the playground today! She loves the slide! Also becoming more comfortable every day!”
The toughest part of my day was leaving my baby at home asleep with our not-a-nanny. I didn’t even get a chance to say good-bye to her in the morning. I didn’t have the not-a-nanny’s email on my work email so one of my co-workers emailed the not-a-nanny my new phone number on my behalf. She sent it with the message, “Because she’s just waiting for you to call her. 
” She wasn’t lying, I’m that pathetic. Before returning to work the longest I had ever spent away from Sophia was about two hours and I only did that about four or five times. Thankfully our not-a-nanny agreed to drive to my work at lunch so I can feed Sophia. Actually I think it’s probably less of a favor for me and more of a sanity saver for her since Sophia refuses to have anything to do with a bottle from her. Sophia with drink from a tippy cup from Kurt, but would get very upset if presented with one from our not-a-nanny. Sophia doesn’t like it when I try to feed her via sippy cup either. She’s one smart cookie; she knows I’m a walking milk cart.
On Tuesday I left very early in the morning to go to Seattle for a Microsoft 2008 product launch and I didn’t get my usually baby visitation at lunch. Our not-a-nanny was great and sent me three pictures from her cellphone to mine, two of them with Sophia holding her own bottle. Apparently Sophia not only held the bottle, but even brought it to her mouth. That day was the first day Sophia didn’t get angry for the not-a-nanny suggesting that she drink from a bottle. She got confused when the not-a-nanny ate her lunch inside a restaurant instead of going through the drive thru and then got angry when they arrived home without stopping to see me. I didn’t get home until an hour after my usual time and I was about to explode. I wasn’t able to pump in the morning because I left much earlier then usual, didn’t get my baby fix in the afternoon, and it was an hour after my usual arrive at home time. I walked through the door in pain and couldn’t decide what to do first, go to the bathroom or feed the baby. Yesterday morning I could see Sophia checking things off her mental list as we went through our usual motions and seemed relieved that the day seemed to be starting the way in which she had become accustomed.