We took BabyC camping for the first time a few days ago. We hadn't been camping since I was 20 weeks pregnant, at which point I was already too uncomfortable to be sleeping on the hard ground. Before my pregnancy though, Husband and I did a lot of outdoor exploration together - hiking, camping, climbing, backpacking. Being outdoors together grew our relationship in the early days and strengthened it as the years went by. There is nothing like being out together on a multi-pitch climb up a rock face, just the two of you, to erase any doubt that you trust the other person wholly and completely. And nothing quite like tackling all the tasks of setting up a camp and getting a one-pot dinner cooked after a long day of backpacking to make you glad you are on the same team. These experiences have shaped who we are as friends and as husband and wife.
But now we have a baby in the mix. There are no more multi-pitch climbing expeditions or long backpacking trips in our near future. That's the way it is, we thought. We'll make do with car-camping. I was excited about the trip.
It was not the same. We were too tired to stay up late around the fire and share a bottle of wine. I was so nervous about BabyC waking up the neighboring campers that I jumped to soothe her every time she made a peep, which she took as a signal that I wanted to play in the middle of the night. Husband was grumpy because it wasn't the same. I was grumpy because Husband was grumpy and bummed because camping used to be our thing.
Looking back, though, I think BabyC had a great time, and that makes me happy.
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| Out here, I can explore the world and see what choking hazards it has to offer. |
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| We can play in the tent - all night long if you want! |
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| We'll go walking on the chilly beach, but I have my dad to snuggle me. |
Oh yeah, and the dog had a great time, too!
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| Happy dog, typical Oregon coast evening. |
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| In action. |
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| Nice catch! |
This is one of the reasons we take pictures. We don't usually try to capture grumpiness in photos, and that sometimes lets us drop it from the memory. The exploring kid and the happy dog are what stay.
