Camping with Baby

So camping was a success. We camped at Devil's Tombstone near Hunter Mountain with Peter & Peg. Here's how it went...

Keith took this, of course,
and it would make a great pic
for a North Face ad

Day 1: Friday. We arrived there in the evening to learn that there was no plumbing. The "bathroom" was really a glorified outhouse, or, as Peg reported, a "comfort station." The outhouse was disgusting. There were two stalls, no lights, and lots of swarming flies. I made it to the stall, saw the sign "Keep lid closed," saw the swarming flies and quickly doubled back to the campsite. We decided to pee in the woods behind our site. There was a trail down an embankment that you could safely pee on without being seen by anyone. However, I soon discovered this location was less than ideal in the middle of the night. (I'll get to that later).We had a yummy dinner, thanks to cooking duo, Peter & Peg, and we, including Cole, enjoyed the campfire until quiet hours began at 10 p.m. Although Friday night was pretty cold, in the high 40s, we were prepared. (Who could forget camping in the cold - was it last year? - in Cape Cod and not being prepared whatsoever?) We even brought the green beanie that Nicole made for Cole. It was the same beanie we put on him the night he was born (see family photos entry). He looked absolutely adorable. Don't you agree? 

We also used this thing called "Baby Bag" that had been given to us by our natural childbirth teacher. It was a cross between a snow suit and a sleeping bag and we used it for Cole when he was outside of the tent. Our body heat and our 40 degree sleeping bags were enough to keep him toasty at night.

Day 2: Early a.m. I had to pee desperately for several hours. I tried to fight the urge but finally I had to give in. Because I am a big baby, I could not go into the woods. So I tried for the outhouse. I got halfway down the road from our campsite, saw the outhouse and after every horror movie I've ever seen flashed before my eyes, I hightailed it back to our campsite. Does anyone remember Blair Witch? That's what came to mind. I tried unsuccessfully to go to our usual peeing spot, but whimped out there too. Then when I got back to the tent, Keith was all "you seriously didn't go to the bathroom yet???" Finally, I manned up (if that's possible) and went to a spot about 15 feet from our site in the woods and prayed to God a bear did not come out and bite me in the ass. Fortunately, for Keith, none did.

Playing in the sun tent with Cole

Peter & Peg drinking Starbucks instant coffee
out of their Monkey Joe travel mugs

Later on that morning we had a nice bagel breakfast with bagels toasted on the firepit and me getting my bagel of choice - everything bagel. Then after some hanging out and much hemming and hawing, we managed to make a collective decision and go to North/South Lake for the morning.  We sunned ourselves for the better part of the morning in front of South Lake and just as the crowds started to roll in, we left to go to Maggie's Krooked Cafe in Tannersville for lunch.


Three hours later we found ourselves at North Lake watching a chipmunk dive into someone's lunch left stupidly on a picnic bench. Now here's an ethical question for you. If you see a chipmunk eating someone's lunch, do you a) shoo it away b) ignore it c) take pictures of it, while laughing the whole time?
What do YOU think we did?

c) take pictures of it while laughing the whole time

You got it! That evening, we had another delicious dinner with way too much food. Even though I was exhausted I stayed up for some smores, minus the chocolate. I am weary of caffeine after 5 p.m.

The next day Peter and Peg had to leave early, but Keith and I decided to go to South Lake for the morning.

Keith & Cole on South Lake

Cole & I in my new (used) sling -
yes, I finally found a carrier he will tolerate!

Wherein Keith attempts to make Cole smile
by putting him on a painted metal horse

We had a nice time, as you can see from the pics. Keith got a swim in and I got to read on a blanket. We left when the crowds started to roll in and Cole started to get cranky. We had a helluva time leaving though because Cole became downright irate as we tried to exit the park. We actually got held up an hour trying to soothe him and then when we finally got him calmed down, we were were able to drive. Once we reached Saugerties and stopped for a coffee, he started up again. Specifically, we were in the drive thru of a Dunkin' Donuts when he started to wail. Unfortunately, it was one of those drive thrus where you can't just make a quick exit - were were actually enclosed on both sides. So I made Keith back up out of the drive thru and then clear out the back seat so I could sit in the back and soothe Cole. By the time I got there, he was hysterical. So, we stopped in the village and the moment  I took him out of his car seat, he stopped crying.  That's where this picture was taken.

So by now, many of you are asking - well what was it like at night, you know, when you went to sleep? Don't deny it, that's really all you wanted to know about - did Cole sleep through the night or did he wake up the entire campground with his sad heartbreaking cries. Well, the first night he slept 3 hours straight then woke up 2-3 times to nurse. Each feeding was quick and painless. He went right back to sleep. We had him tightly swaddled in his camouflaged Miracle Blanket (I'll post a pic of that in my Daily Cuteness later or tomorrow). I think that helped. The next night, however, he did not sleep as soundly and woke up often to feed, crying each time he woke up. Guess what I used as a pacifier instead of a pacifier? You got it. So, no complaints from the neighbors. Now, you wonder, how did I sleep? I slept poorly the first night, mostly because I was on high alert for Cole and his breathing, and also because I never sleep well the first night of camping. The second night was better despite the numerous times I was woken up. Each time I fell into a deep slumber after I finished nursing.

Our family

Would I camp again with Cole? Absolutely. I think it was a great idea to start him out young. Not only did we expose him to fresh air for a whole weekend, but we also exposed him to nature. And that is one of our goals as his parents - to instill in him a love for nature and the outdoors. Because it was such a success, we were even thinking of doing another weekend in September before the real cold weather starts. But we'll have to see how I juggle work and mommyhood and if I will be able to spare an entire weekend when my paid job begins!