Camp Lil Man Chronicles

Summertime brings summer camp time for children and teenagers. Bags are packed. Camp reservations are made. Mothers utter teary-eyed good-byes.

Recently Camp Lil Man was held for the first time. Grampy and Grammy opened the Camp so that Lil Man’s Mommy and Daddy could have an evening/night out together once in awhile. We picked him up and his Spongebob backpack on wheels was packed. He had milk bottles, baby food, the camcorder to preserve camp memories, a framed picture of Mommy and Daddy (as if he would forget them overnight) and his DON’T BUG ME PAJAMAS (that is what is written on the shirt) and the bottoms have bugs printed on them.

We decided to make a DVD of the camp adventures. First, we put on his DON’T BUG ME pajamas and filmed him in the camp bunkhouse (aka his nursery). He jumped like a wild man in the crib. Next we put marshmallows on a fondue fork and he and Grampy roasted marshmallows over the gas flame of my stove. It quickly ignited and provided some additional entertainment as we sang “Kumbaya”.

Lil Man penned a quick note home to Mommy and Daddy scribbling his heartfelt sentiments from Camp Lil Man. He then spied Grammy’s planter and plucked a leaf off it. Every good camper knows the itchy outcomes associated with poison ivy, so Grampy reminded him, “When you see three leave it be…..” He quickly dropped the three leaved treasure. Fortunately, no poison ivy emerged.

Lights out at Camp Lil Man was scheduled for 10:30 PM. Bedtime snacks ran a bit late and milk and oatmeal cereal were gobbled down by the Lil Camper. He quickly fell asleep but would open his eyes as soon as he was placed in the bunk bed (aka crib). It was resolved by the exhausted Camp Counselors (aka Grampy and Grammy) that we could let him sleep in the counselor’s bunkhouse – but that meant Counselors were awake almost all night checking in on the Lil Camper. After all, closing of the counselors’ eyes could have resulted in the Lil Camper escaping from the bunkhouse and crawling around all night unsupervised.

Sunrise and the opening of Lil Man’s big brown eyes arrived early – much too early for the exhausted Camp Counselors. He was eager to see a bottle of warm milk and as soon as he finished breakfast cereal and fruit, he placed a call to Mommy’s cell phone. He told her that Grampy and Grammy were about to fall asleep and that he needed picked up from camp!

Such was the saga of Lil Man’s first campout experience with Grampy and Grammy. Summer Camp does roll around just once a year – good news for Grampy and Grammy – they will have plenty of time to recover before the next campout!

Love you, Lil Man!