Fifth Grade Camp

I've spent the better part of seven years fighting to keep Isaac (and Mila) educated with their general ed peers.  The needs of every child are different, but Isaac has consistently shown that with with right supports he is quite successful in a typical classroom. He loves learning with his friends and his wildly motivated by them.  This school year has been particularly hard in safely keeping Isaac where I have felt he learns best and there was discussion early in the year as to whether he would be 'able' to attend the annual Fifth Grade overnight camp. Of course he can!  I took the appropriate time off work to be able to drive him to and from every day and be there to give him as authentic day-camp experience as possible.  

Day 1: Dropped off at school and took the yellow school bus with the rest of his friends and his sweet para.  I think he was most excited about the bus!

He legit CLIMBED a mountain, his little legs keeping up with everyone else. I lost track of the actual steps we took, but whatever the number is I'm trippling it--it was a MOUNTAIN. 

Isaac opted to lead the Zip Line Cheerleading Team.

Helping coach a teamwork activity:

Can they work as a team on the 'whale watching' teeter board?

With his buddy B.  B turned around and said "Mrs Isaac's Mom, did you know Isaac is my BEST friend?"  💓

This took me by utter surprise. Generally, Isaac does not appreciate anything small that moves, that includes wind up toys, small animals and/or toddlers. ;)  He sat and observed quietly while his friends enjoyed the reptiles then asked if he too could touch the snake....say what now??  (uh, no. WE are definitely 100% scared of critters, there is no need to touch, hold or otherwise be near them, thank you very much). Um, sure bud. 

He wasn't too sure about holding this reptilian thinga-ma-jig but he was happy to observe. 

He CRASHED hard less than 10min into the ride home.  

Day 2: We were up early for the 45min drive to meet his camp friends in time for breakfast. 

Squid dissection!  Again, I did not think Isaac would be up for this but he surprised me. He was fully engaged identifying squid anatomy and carefully dissected the abdomen/mantle to find the ink sacks.  He even got to write his name with the squid pen and ink!  (This was a special moment for me. For 30min I got to nerd out with my boy and share my medical life with him AND he fully understood. I didn't think I'd ever get to have that with my precious kids 💕)

Helping his para touch the squid--she was scared to death!

FOUR grilled cheese sandwhiches and TWO bowls of soup later, he whopped his friends at arm wrestling. 

Back to the reptiles! This time an albino corn snake, a gray nope rope, and a bearded dragon. 

Before any of us knew what had happened, Isaac KISSED the dragon!  That's seven years of good luck or something, right??

We left after his group tested a hypothesis about hermit crabs in the marine lab and he again CRASHED hard in the car. 

Day 3:

We didn't quite make it through the half last day of camp.  His little legs just couldn't keep up any longer. "No more walking, Mom. All done walking!"   That was ok with me, we had two FANTASTIC days at camp and I counted every minute a success.  I loved being able to make these memories with my 5th grader. <3