Summer Camp 2013 - The first two weeks

Cornelia is in the middle of her first summer camp experience.  It’s even “sleep-away” camp, as they say.  She’s spending four weeks with Grandma Mary and Grandpa Roy in Port Angeles while I work out of the Seattle office for four weeks and Ken works in Los Angeles on HomeMade Simple for six weeks (and possibly more).  While it’s tough to be away from her so much, at least I get to see her on the weekends.  Ken won’t get to see her until he’s back in San Francisco in mid-August.  But Cornelia is having a spectacular time, even if Ken and I are missing her a lot.

 

Dressed and ready to go to the airport.

Cornelia and I flew to Seattle on Saturday, July 13th, and stayed with Aunt Kathy until Mom and Dad arrived on Sunday night after finishing the Seattle to Portland bike ride.  (Yes, Cornelia’s grandparents finished a 200-mile bike ride for about the 12th year in a row before they came to pick up their granddaughter!  I think Coco’s gonna be sporty.  It’s inevitable.)  Cornelia was still up at 9:30 p.m. when they arrived - which in hindsight I realize was an indicator of the “up past her bedtime” pattern which was to follow.

"I'll just make myself at home, like Daddy does."

Her first week in Port Angeles was quite busy and much like her stay last September.  Of course she helped around the house; she carried the newspaper and mail in to Grandma every day, she helped Grandpa fill the birdfeeder and sweep the deck and the driveway, and she even supervised Grandpa washing the cars.

"That way to the playground, Grandpa!  That way!"

After all the chores were done, she kept busy splashing in her wading pool on the deck, riding bikes with Grandma and Grandpa, testing out the new playground at Shane Park, and even taking swimming lessons with Grandma.  

Coco loves her swimming lessons.  And, why not?  It’s a combination of two of her favorite things:  water and other kids.  Grandma was a bit concerned about whether or not Coco would do well when it came to sharing some of the pool toys.  She didn’t want Coco to be expelled on her first day of swim class.  But Coco did well; sharing when she was supposed to.  She liked jumping into the pool with Grandma catching her.  And there was another one of her favorite things too:  a slide into the pool!  Grandma thought it was for the bigger kids (the four-year-olds) but she was wrong.  At the end class, all the kids could slide into the pool and of course: “Coco do it!” “Coco do it!” “Coco need it!”  As you might imagine, Coco had a hard time being patient but she did manage to get four turns on the slide (with Grandma catching her of course).

Trying on jewelry for the dinner party.

Uncle Ned and Aunt Stephanie visited for a few days and their first night included a dinner at the house with friends Dan and Wendy.  Coco dressed up of course.  Cornelia had just one dinner party during her first week at Grandma and Grandpa’s.

Coco’s second week in Port Angeles included a trip to Hurricane Ridge to see the deer and to play in the snow, followed by a trip the next day to the Hoh Rain Forest.  She is learning her wildlife and she knows what a moose looks like - at least a moose on a sticker.

 

"I found the deer!"

"Where are my skis?"

"Where are the fish?"

"Where's the bear?"

Grandpa, Coco, Grandma, Aunt Stephanie, Uncle Ned

I started Skyping with Coco at bedtime from the office and one evening we even had a little puppet show (with thanks to my colleagues who have various stuffed toys on their desks at work).

Last weekend we all went to Yakima to see the Walsh family (and for Dad’s high school reunion).  It was a typical weekend in Moxee: congregating at the Pitt’s house, wading in the pool, barbecuing and eating ice cream.  Coco got to spend time with her cousins Donovan (“he who opens doors”), Bella and Dylan.  My cousins Erin, Stephanie, Tracy and Mathew were there as well, which was great.    

Splashing with cousins Bella and Donovan.

 

 

Daddy, Great Grandma Betty, and Coco

 

We even visited Coco’s great grandmother Betty, which was really quite wonderful for all of us.  And we even got a chance to see four of the six Wingenbach kids - Kay, Dot, John and Jim who happened to be in Yakima as well.