First Week at Camp Ability

Anthony is finishing his first week of Camp today, it's gone so great.  His therapist Janelle, who is with him this week, said yesterday that if today went well we could consider it a great week.  I said I think no matter what happens today we'd have to consider it a great week.  Here's why:

• he's been outside a lot this week and even though it's been hot, it hasn't been dangerously hot.  He's gotten a lot of fresh air and sunshine and he wears a ton of sunscreen, so he doesn't have a sunburn or tan but he has a lot of cute freckles.  
• this should probably be number one but his toileting has been AMAZING, he's had ONE accident, and that was only because the toilet was too far away.  He told his therapist he had to go, but they just didn't make it in time.  Since the same thing happened to Maria this week, I am calling it a normal camp mistake, ha!  When I think about the fact that two years ago, Anthony was in diapers and never thought one time about not going in them, I want to fall on the floor and cry with gratitude.  
• he's been so happy to come home - he rings the doorbell every afternoon when they get here, and he walks around the house, he might go outside and check out the yard, but he checks in with me and will force eye contact and then laugh or smile.  I have been going to get him for four years at Little Star, and I think we are all grateful to have a little change up to the routine.  
• He's going swimming every day, they have a bunch of small pools, I guess, and he really loves it.  
• Janelle, his therapist, brings him home every day and it's been nice to talk to her a little bit.  She is his morning therapist and since Mike always takes him in the morning, I never get to talk to her.  On Monday, we walked around the house and I showed her the backyard, where we have the bounce house, playset, trampoline, pool, etc.  She said it was nice to see him in his natural habitat, ha!  
• For the second year in a row, Anthony went horseback riding and it went just great.  I'll put some pictures below, they are amazing, right?  I could not stop crying yesterday looking at them.  She said the one of him petting the horse was her favorite, because it took him a little while to do it and then he really seemed happy that he did.  
• I know he must get tired of working so much, and even though it's kind of a busman's holiday, he seems really happy to just be playing and having fun.  I'm so glad that we're doing this, I'm grateful to Little Star for sending a therapist with him, and for Janelle being so plucky and willing to GO with him, and I can't wait until next year!