Past Posting - A version of this post was originally written on 8/8/05.

Peanut (aka Bruiser) got himself kicked out of camp this week. He had made some friends in the beginning - they even had a special handshake - but I think the novelty of having a Russian friend wore off. Because the kids that Peanut used to describe as "drook" (friend) he now says a not-so-nice word and indicates that they make fun of him.

After a couple incidents of punching other kids, the camp had to expel him. When I picked him up on his last day the girl he punched was holding an ice pack to her cheek (poor thing) and Peanut was sulking off to the side. But the minute he climbed in the car he just melted into tears. I don't condone hitting - but it broke my heart to see him so sad.

Being single and requiring a little thing called a paycheck I was pretty stressed out. But a combination of a great boss, a job that is possible to do from home, and a big family we worked it out. Peanut's getting expelled proved to be a blessing in disguise. He's more relaxed and happy than before - he's even sleeping more soundly (no more Russian mumbles in the middle of the night). Of course now he falls out of the bed, so I have a complex system of comforters and extra pillows on the ground to pad any nighttime falls. In a way, I'm glad he was expelled. Camp was a stressor for him and now we're spending his last couple of weeks here stress-free and together.