Lily Heart Camping

She BETTER frickin' heart camping. She had more than enough practice this summer. Like the ADHD mams that I am, I dragged (literally) a reluctant husband, kid and 2 sometimes three carloads of camping equipment/baby stuff deep in the heart of public campsites three times this summer.


Our first adventure was in Lighting Lakes, Manning Park with Jason's family. It was our 5 year anniversary that July weekend. Not romantic. At. All. But we had a good experience and Jay's family is wonderful and so much fun. Hiking, sitting around the campfire, warming up bottles on the campstove. First experience at 'Family Bed' - but only because it was 4 DEGREES at night and Lily was FREEZING! (It was still nice...)

Cocky from our first successful run at camping- we repacked our car(s) and headed up to Castlegar with my family for the 3rd annual Crampout at Terry and Karens - set on the banks of the Columbia River. There was 14 people to watch over Lily besides Jay and I so definitely a highlight of my summah. Fabulous organization by the Hughes (could say it was a Hughes success - groan) - there was a fishing derby*, booze, crafts, booze, a 2nd hand 2nd year anniversary shower, booze, a visit with Granpa P. and Florence and some booze to top it off. Lily had a ball and so did mams and paps.

So now I'm riling in our second success. Camping with babe - phshhhh - I am SO totally awesome at it. So Lily and I trundle off *without* dad, with friend Isobel to meet best pal Lesley, and Erik, Lisa and Sheldon in Osoyoos at Inkabeep - the smallest desert in the world. Also, the closest camping in the world. Osoyoos is usually a blast. Everything is hot, sweaty, boozy and floaty. Fun for friends. But not so fun for babies. Babies, as it turns out, don't like hot tents. Makes for what I like to call ne nap pas (translation: no naps=nasty baby). Once asleep at night we had a ball. But the days were spent on the shore waiting for Lily to nap while everyone else floated in the lake. We left after 2 days.

So as we are closing out our first summah together, cleaning out the crusty baby food from the tent and packing away the 799 tons of camping equipment, I have compiled a list of Do's a Don't's for those adventurous enough to take a baby camping (it's worth it - really).

1. DO take a Pak-and-Play. Babies need their own space and it will piss them off if they are awoken to pump up the stupid queen sized air mattress that always has a leak.


2. DON'T bring a baby bath. Likely the baby will be eating dirt again immediately after s/he gets out.


3. DON'T force a baby to go in the water for staged cutesy water shot. They will be mad and will not nap.


4. DO bring lots of family. In fact, any family member is welcome to come on every vacation we take from now on. Seriously.


5. DO bring warm clothes for the baby. You're in the wilderness for gods sakes! Sometimes it gets down to 4 DEGREES at night and all you have is 3 Gap long sleeved shirts and some Robeez. Then - you will pay.


6. DO take family members/friends up on bbsitting offers. Relative/friend: "Can I take Lily down to the water to show her the ducks?" You: "Yep!" (Trail of smoke - you on floaty with cold beer)


7. DON'T put your tent within 50 feet of anyone else. Your baby will then feel claustrophobic and will wake up 79 times during the night.


8. DON'T EVER camp with only one parent. Don't *even* try to think you're a good enough camper. How does holding onto a dirty, sticky, ne nap pas baby so s/he doesn't eat sand/grass bottlecaps, etc, while you sip on your warm beer, with a shitty/sandy diaper in your back pocket for TWO days sound? Yeah - thought so...


9. DO bring items to occupy baby's time. Jolly jumpers are the perfect camping accessory. Light, packable and eats up 20mins-1 hour of baby's day! A bucket of rocks also does the trick.


10. DO have fun and stop worrying about the baby. Even be so bold to step out of the tent, blow out the citronella candle and watch the stars...

If done right, camping with babies (CWB) can be a relaxing and enjoyable getaway.


L

*3rd prize for me and first lady to place in 3 years. Jason and my dad came in 2nd, 1st - same as last year - *snooooozzzee*

Profilin'

Every parent tells you about this magic age. When overnight, your stunned newbie becomes a full fledged person. 3 months is apparently the magic number. 3 months came and went with Lily without a Disney infused transformation (you know, the ones with the rags to riches instant makeover, complete with twittling birds, sparkles and that xylophone soundeffect).

I didn't really notice anything remotely remarkable until at least 7 months. Lily has had quite the personality since the moment she was born, looked right at me, lowered her lip into a pout and started to scream. I think, more than anything, that it's taken ME 7 months to really understand her. Here she is in a nutshell:

Likes:

Paps and Mama, Todd Frog, Screaching like a Taradactyl (pls. ignore spelling), Long strolls on the beach, Cameras, Eating paper, TV converters and cell phones, Jolly jumper and Baby Einstein videos, Eensy weensy spider, Exploring, Flower tours, Grandparents, Swimming, Standing ovations, Dawson, Showhomes (and barfing in Showhomes), Gardening in our backyard, Antiquing, Crowds, Sun tan lotion massages, Crampout, Secrets, Girly sleepovers, Big dogs, Native art galleries, Camping, Eating books, Hiking, Mama singing, Lime gelato, Girls, Datenight at Craig and Jani's, Chewing on corncobs, Tylenol, Sou sou's, Bathtime, Escaping Bumbo's (see above)

Dislikes:
Restraining (carseat, stroller), Putting on a bib, Mama checking for teeth, Camping, Sitting in one place, Going to bed, Taking away corncobs, 10 pound diapers (bad M/P), Teething

Disinterest:
Boys, Cuddling

L

Dear Greenpeace, I'm sorry...

Started the summah off in a car accident. Some dude turned left in front of me in an intersection downtown Vancouver and I smashed right into him with Lily in tow. Only one person (a pedestrian) stopped to ask if I was ok. One. No witnesses until a kind woman trudged down from the 9th floor of a building behind me to tell me she saw everything. The guy who hit me repeated over and over that I ran a red light and was speeding. Yeah - because ripping through red lights with my 5 month baby in the back is wicked fun! He quietened down as soon as I pulled Lily crying from the back seat of the car...

We're all ok, a little sore though. Lucky Lily has endured countless boring hours in doctors, chiros and physio appointments and I'm sure has gained a few friendly summah pounds from those extra bottles given to her to keep her occupied during appointments. Murl Mazda was written off and after a few glasses of wine that evening we decided to bite the bullet and buy a sweet ass ride - a Mazda 6 Sport Wagon. (Note weakness for Mazda's) We had exactly 4 days to find a new car when our ICBC rental coverage ran out. And when we found Him, freshly immigrated into Canada from a Washington Lease return, my heart literally skipped a beat. Love at first sight. And now me, who has a three shelf recycling system in the pantry, who saves friend's takeout bags so I can recycle them at home, who wears biodegradable underwear, is driving a gas guzzling, V6, soccer mom FIREROCKET!! And I'm so sorry to say this, Greenpeace - I don't mind.

I have yet to name this metal god. Toying with Nicky (of Nicky 6), Kiki (in song United States of Whatever - a song which was apparently popular a few summers ago but I was somewhere deep in some site in Wyoming/Colorado/Tahiti and which I 'discovered' on the radio coming back from Castlegar the August long weekend and thought was the funniest song EVER even though to everyone else it's SO 2003). Whatever.

I WILL find one. I have the official job of 'Car Namer' in my extended family. Case in point: Patty Pathfinder, Kate Camry, Stinky Pete or Chili Car (after a tragic chili episode), and Petey Pup. What can I say - it's a gift.

Cascade Mountains with No Name Car

L