Camping

Whew, I need to catch up.  So we went camping for the first time a few weeks ago, over the 4th of July.  We bought our camper when I was pregnant with Em, but until now we have only used it as a glorified hotel room, parked on my dad's property up north.  So we finally went to a real campground, and camped....used the bathroom, used the kitchen, had a fire pit, etc.  We've yet to tackle the hot water heater, so we haven't used the shower yet, but I would like to, maybe next time.

It's a very small shower, it would work pretty well for giving Em a bath, but it would be a cramped shower.  But I would like the option, since going to the community bathhouse may not always be an option if it's pouring rain and I don't want to walk there, or if I am just too tired to go.  Plus despite taking a cool shower, the bathhouse gets pretty hot, and I HATE being hot, so having the option to shower in the camper would be nice.  Besides, the community shower stalls aren't all that big either, and I'd prefer to not have to shower with my flip flops on.

We arrived Saturday evening, we got a late start because we had to attend my cousin's grad party first.  By the time we got all unpacked and got the camper set up, and our nice but annoying next door neighbor stopped yacking my husband's ear off, we headed into town to get groceries.  It's only 45 minutes from home, but I figured why shop before hand and have to pack all the groceries when we can just shop in town.  We ended up with way more than just groceries....being that it's the first time we're actually using it as a camper, there is still a lot of things we need, and Meijer is like the worst store for that.  I don't too often shop at Meijer, so when I do I'm like ooooh, I want that and this and that other thing.  For me, just because it's different, Meijer can be more dangerous than Target.

So we finally got back to the camper (with BK, it was too late to try cooking and we were starving) to plop down in our chairs to watch the fireworks.  We had the perfect view right from our campsite.  Our campsite was good, we had plenty of space, the people around us were fine, our next door neighbors on our other side showed an outdoor kids' movie each night and invited us over.  We always declined though because I knew Em wouldn't sit there for the whole thing.  On our last night she did go to the end of our camper and watch for a while from our site, but like I assumed, she lost interest and wanted to do something else after a while.  We'll be tempted to try to request that site each time, but I think we should just take whatever site they give up and see what else there is that we like.  That way we can build up a list of sites we love, so that when one is taken, we have others to choose from.

That night was to be her first night sleeping in a big kid bed.  We purposefully left her pack n play at my dad's place.  Since she'll be in a big girl bed soon at home, I figured she might as well sleep in the bottom bunk in the camper.  We have so much more room now with the pack n play not in the middle of the room, and the bunk beds are ideal for her to sleep in the first time.  Most of the bunk shares a wall with the bathroom, so there is only a 3 foot wide opening near the foot to get in, so it's kind of like a cave.  I figured if she started out deeper inside the bunk, it would be awfully hard to fall out.  We tried the pool noodle trick but being that the opening to the bed is slightly curved, it didn't work so well.  Plus, Em had been playing with the noodle for a few weeks at home, so when she realized what it was, she kept trying to get it out and kept screaming mine!

She was also crying and upset about going to bed, apparently she was scared to sleep in this big bed all by herself, which I can understand.  So we let her climb in bed with us and watch a movie.  Once she fell asleep Ryan carried her to her own bed.  She slept in there just fine, but mama didn't sleep so well.  I must have gotten up 3 or 4 times during the night to check on her.  I wasn't so much worried about her falling out of bed, but I guess I was worried that being in a new bed would make her somehow just up and die.  But one of the last times I checked on her, I was a little nervous because she had managed to flop around so she was sleeping more at the foot of the bed, a foot or two away from the opening.  So that day when we headed to Target, we shopped for a bed rail.  Of course they didn't have them.  What the hell Target?!

So that was Sunday, when we got back from Target, we hung out for a bit, waiting for my brother and SIL to come hang with us for the day.  We had mentioned to them the day before that it was only a 45 minute drive, and that they should come up just for the day to hang out, and they laughed and said, it's only 30 minutes from our house, we mapped it, but we didn't want to invite ourselves, so we were like come on up.  So they got there around 3 or 4.  We all got changed and headed for the beach, but Ryan stayed back to get dinner started.  The beach was nice, not nearly as crowded as I expected for the 4th of July.  The campgrounds was a mad house, but judging by the beach you'd never know it was a holiday weekend.  Though it was later in the day.  The water was a bit chilly at first but once you got used to it, it was like bath water.

We're spoiled and used to Lake Michigan beaches, where the water is damn near clear and the firm, sand is in massaging ripples in the water.  But not every beach can be lake Michigan, so for a non-lake Michigan beach, it was pretty good.  Much better than the lake we grew up swimming in at my grandpa's cottage, where your feet sunk into the muck at the bottom, and when you took off your suit at the end of the day you belly was covered in sea weed and other lake nastiness.  Though we didn't care, I loved going there.  But I will say, the beach at the campground did have one huge advantage over Lake Michigan.  Like I said, it was a slight chill when you first stepped in, but within seconds you were used to it and the water temp was great.  Unlike Lake Michigan that has three temperatures.....at the highest temp, it's so cold when you first step in you want to die, but after several minutes you can eventually get used to it enough that you can enjoy your swim, or the middle temp, in which it's so cold when you first step in you want to die, but you cannot stay in long because it's so cold your bones are aching.  Or, the third temp, where it is so cold, you can't go in or you will die.

Two summers ago when Em was just a baby, I bought her a little floaty with leg holes in it, and it had a little umbrella to keep the sun off her head.  I think she was about 4 or 5 months old, and we used it in my inlaws pool.  She was so tiny she had to basically just sit cradled in the middle because the leg holes were way too big for her to put her legs in.  Now, she can of course sit in it like it was intended, and she is too tall for the umbrella to go over her head :(  But she had a ton of fun, we also put her in a life jacket just to be safe, and because it was so darn cute on her.  My SIL didn't go in, but my brother came in with us and we played in the water for a while.  Then we stopped at the playground on the way back for a few.

When we were in the lake, Em said a few times about pottying, but I can never get a yes or no out of her as to whether she actually has to go.  So I said quietly, just go in the lake.  Yes, I am that mom, and no I don't care.  It's miserable taking a wet kid into a public bathroom, wiggling their suit off and plopping their wet slippery bodies on the toilet, then trying to use toilet paper on a kid who is already wet.  Funny story though, last summer when she still wore swim diapers, it was just me and her in my inlaws pool, everyone else had just gotten out, and I was like ewww, the water just turned very warm, she must have just peed (because of course swim diapers do nothing for pee).

So while we were at the playground, she was standing at the bottom of the slide, all of a sudden she stands with her legs apart, and just pees in the sand.  Ugh.  I told my brother to kick some sand over it and we got the hell out of there.  She's like a damn cat, peeing in a sandbox.  So we get back to the campsite and dinner was almost ready.  We had picked up one of those grill things that just sits over the campfire to cook, but Ryan was nervous about using that to cook for guests, so he just cooked them in the pan (that we had to buy at Meijer the day before because I realized we had no pots and pans) on the stovetop.  So we had burgers, potato salad, chips, and salsa.  Very good dinner.  Not for my diet, but it was yummy.

They stayed long enough to sit by the campfire and we made s'mores, and they left around 9:30.  I loved having them there, but I was kind of hoping they would leave soon, because I so desperately needed to go take a shower.  When I came back from the shower Ryan and Em were both asleep on our bed.  So when he woke up from his catnap, he carried her into her bed and then I went to bed with her.  I was nervous about her being too close to the edge, and since we couldn't find a bed rail, I decided to be the rail.  That was the worst sleep of my life.  I tried not to move much so I wouldn't wake her up, I didn't have a blanket because hers was too small to share, and the bed is hard as a rock and hurt my back.  Around 5am I decided she was fine as she had barely moved all night, so I crawled back into our bed.

So the next day, Monday, we didn't do a whole lot.  It was kind of a lazy day.  We went back to Meijer to see if they had a bed rail, which they did, but once we got back we realized it was a smidge too long for the opening.  No biggie, we can use it at home once we convert the crib to a full size bed, but I was annoyed we still wouldn't have a rail for her that night.  It didn't fit to use it properly, but it did stay on the bed well enough to form a barrier that I hoped if she hit it during the night, she would roll over the other way.  We also needed a grill since Ryan didn't like the fire pit grill thing we bought.   In the outdoor/grill aisle we found one we liked, but they didn't have it in stock.  But then when we were in the camping aisle they had more grills, and Ryan found the one he originally wanted.  Unlike the other one, it had fold out legs, kind of like an ironing board, it could be pulled on wheels once it was folded up, and it was cheaper.  Score!  So we got that, and we also decided we needed two of those pillow things that have a back and arms.  I'm not sure what they're called, but we realized it was hard to watch TV in our bed laying down, and sitting up wasn't comfortable so we got those pillow things.  Perfect solution.  But between those, the grill, and a million other things we decided we needed for the camper, we had about a $1000 weekend between our 3 day shopping trips.  Ugh!

But, at least they are things we won't have to buy again.  Eventually we'll have everything we need, and trips there will only require the cost of groceries, which we would need at home anyway.  When we got back, we had lunch and then we all hung out in bed, watching a movie, enjoying the air conditioning.  I guess you cannot call what we do camping.  With a comfy bed, a TV, a DVD player, air, a full kitchen and bathroom....I guess glamping would be a better term.  Glamorous camping.  But the people next to us had an RV and they had a damn fireplace and their bedroom was actually a bedroom.  Ours is just basically a bed with two end tables on either side at one end of the camper, a wall at the foot of our bed where the TV goes, and curtains on each side to separate from the "living room"....but it is nice and gives us enough privacy and space away from the little one, especially for when she is older and wants to bring a friend.

Plus it is way better than the pop out beds on the camper we were originally looking at.  Ryan and I both had this irrational fear of some crazy person with a knife, cutting through the screens and killing us in our sleep.  I guess we watched too many horror movies about camping as kids.  We did look at a camper with a fireplace though, and we were really considering it.  I would have really liked it, but aside from our bed, we would have had no other actual beds, just couches that fold out into beds.  But it had a decent size living room, with the fireplace and a couch and two recliners.  That would have been very nice, because aside from our "couch" we have no real comfy place to sit.  I mean the benches at the table are nice, but you can't relax at a table.

But the thing I didn't like about the fireplace one was, we wouldn't really be able to enjoy the living room because we would constantly have a bed folded out in the middle of it.  It would be a good option for some empty nesters or couples with no kids, but not for us.  But I do love fireplaces.  I would LOVE to have one in our house.  I might just have to settle for a fake one someday when we finish the basement.  Once we got up from a little nap, I took Emily for a walk.  We played at the playground for a bit, we walked down to the beach and she splashed around in ankle deeper water for a little while.  I was taking pictures when she climbed up on the chair behind me, so I took a picture of the two of us, but I couldn't see it because of the glare from the sun.  Later when I was looking at the pics, I discovered that she had this crazy look on her face with her tongue sticking out in the picture.  How funny!

Then we left the beach and walked along the path that goes around the lake.  The total path is 3.2 miles all around, but we obviously couldn't do that right then.  We only walked a little bit and then we headed back and cut through the campground coming back.  I was trying to familiarize myself a little more, to figure out how to get everywhere.  When we first got there, we were very overwhelmed and lost, but by that first night we got all of the roads figured out and how to get back to our camper.  I can't wait to take my bike and the trailer next time and bike around the lake, that will be great exercise.  So I can eat all the s'mores!!!  I actually am not a huge fan of s'mores.  I'd rather eat all the ingredients separately.  When we walked back to camp, Ryan was grilling steaks for dinner.  I put corn on the cob in the microwave and put beans on the stove top.  It all came out great.  Once our dinner settled, we made hobo pies.  Ryan had bought these things that you stick right in the fire pit, they open up, you put the food in and then cook it right in the fire.  You can make pies, pizza, breakfast burritos (dinner burritos too I suppose).  It was good.  It'll be fun to experiment with different pie fillings and different breads, and recipes.

That night at bedtime we put on Madagascar and we all watched in our bed.  Emily was cracking up, she loved it.  She fell asleep close to the end, which was perfect timing.  The next day we slept in, and then had breakfast.  We decided to take one last trip to the beach, and I told Ryan he was coming whether he liked it or not.  He wouldn't swim, but I was just happy he came with.  He did come walk in the water with us up to his knees, so we just hung out at his depth so it was like he was swimming.  For the past two years, I've been so unhappy with how I look in a swimsuit, so I have just been wearing swim shorts and a nursing tank.  The tank fits me and it's long enough that I don't have to worry about my tummy popping out.  But I figured I had better buy a real suit in case we ever go swimming someplace that insist I wear an actual swim suit instead of a nursing tank (it's so much more flattering though).

So I ordered one online, and I went by measurement sizes, which are often wrong, but I needed to start somewhere.  It's hard to order clothes online because I have no hips, so if I go by my hip measurement, they would be way too small everywhere else.  And waist size wasn't really an issue because this tankini top is flowy, rather than the style that clings to your belly.  So I basically went by chest size....but I think women who have the same size chest as me, are naturally bigger all over.  I don't naturally have a huge chest.....it's not small, but I'm not naturally the size I currently am.  I'm just fat.  If I lost weight, my boobs would shrink and they would be a very manageable size.  Not tiny, but not "flop one over your shoulder so you can see you toes" kinda big.  So anyway, the suit comes the other day and I try it on.  The top is definitely roomy, not at all clingy like bathing suits are supposed to fit (which may be an issue if it floats off of me in the water).  But I don't think it is so big that I can't wear it.  I have another one coming, I'll keep whichever one looks best on me.  But then I held up the bottoms.  They were enormous!  They looked like the panties Jack Black held up when he was dating Gweneth Paltrow in Shallow Hal!  Again, I am smaller on the bottom than I am on top, so I just had to laugh when I saw how big the bottoms are.  No offense to ladies who do wear them, after all, I am fat too, I'd just never seen something for me that was that big.  I sometimes need a 2X shirt, but I can wear medium to large bottoms.  Which kind of sucks, you end up looking like humpty dumpty.  But, I am back on track.  I lost 3.5 lbs this week, and I think I am ready to get serious again to get this weight off.

So after the beach we headed back and started packing up.  We had a lot to do because we were too lazy to do the dinner dishes the night before.  The camground people would be moving our camper back to storage the next day, so when I put stuff away I had to find secure places so things wouldn't fall over and break or leak liquids everywhere.  So I did all the inside stuff while Ryan packed everything up outside and started closing the camper up.  It was so nice to leave there, and be home 45 minutes later.  We're used to having a 3.5-4 hour drive after going away for the weekend.  I'm definitely excited for the next time we go back.  We had a few scares with Emily over the weekend though.  We're not used to being someplace where we have to watch her so closely.  We're always either at home, in the yard, at someone else's home, or someplace in public where she is holding our hands or in the stroller.  So being at our home away from home, it was scary because you want to give her freedom to play, but the road is not far away and there are strangers in every direction just 30 feet away.

So the first scare came the first night when we were unpacking the truck.  When I walked away from the camper, to get more stuff from the truck, Ryan and Emily were both outside.  I must have heard a neighbor's door shut, because I thought I heard Ryan go inside but as I was walking back, I didn't see Emily anywhere, and I didn't figure she could have gone inside with him so quickly.  It takes her forever to walk up those stairs and get in the door.  So I threw my armload of stuff down and started running, calling her name....just then she comes toddling out from behind the camper, happy as a clam, with daddy in tow.  Whew, talk about a panic.

Then when we were packing up to leave, we were standing outside and Ryan was telling me something about packing up, when I suddenly looked around and there was no Em is sight.  I nervously said, where is Em?!  Ryan yelled out, Emily!  Then I looked down and she was literally standing right by my side.  Geeze, we're going to have to put a cat bell on her.  She also got way too close for our comfort to the fire pit on several occasions.  She knows what hot things are and to stay away, but I was worried if she tripped and fell she could fall in, so I wanted her to give the pit a wide berth.  So that is on our list too, something to put around the pit to keep her from getting too close.  But we had fun, I think we will really enjoy our home away from home and hopefully we'll be able to make years of great memories for Em.