family camping

On Friday night we took Sarah on her first overnight camping adventure. We had been thinking about this trip for a few weeks but with it being so close to Charlotte's due date I insisted on going somewhere with cell phone coverage. Brent delivered on that and I was able to get the minute by minute account of Meghan's labor starting early Saturday morning when we were still cozy in our sleeping bags. The wonders of modern technology!

When we arrived to Mueller State Park Friday night we learned that there was a fire ban in effect and campfires weren't permitted. What a bummer! Brent (broken hand and all) got our tent up just in time for the sky to open up with an hour long rainstorm. Thank goodness the rainfly did it's job. What fun it was laying in our tent, listening to the rain patter on our shelter and watching the Pigbear roll around on the sleeping bag like camping was the best thing she's ever done in her life. She thought she'd won the jackpot with Mommy and Daddy's undivided attention - no TV, no laundry, no computer, no phones (with the exception of Charlotte's birth updates). And I think the best part for her was the sleeping. We made one big sleeping bag out of our two little ones and put Sarah smackdab in the middle. She loved it! Getting her to go to sleep was a different story. We both turned our back to her so she would get the message that we weren't playing anymore so she decided to try to get Daddy's attention. She kept patting him, squealing in his ear, squeaking, and babbling "dadadadadadada". It was everything we could do to keep from busting out laughing! She finally fell asleep and slept like a log while Brent and I tossed and turned for fear of smothering her, waking her, getting her too cold, keeping her too hot, and on and on and on.

After breakfast, a hike in the morning, and packing up camp it was time to head home. Can't wait for camping trip #2...maybe this time we'll recruit some of you to go with us!