The weather is warm, Victoria Day long weekend is fast approaching, and we are planning our first (car) camping experience with the bebes. Yippee! I am so excited you’d think I was staying at the Ritz.
I included the word car before the word camping because what we did in years past, as childless, sporty, fit, active adults, was pack as little as possible, with as light as feasible equipment, in one small backpack each, and hike for hours to reach our destination. Add two still-crawling infants to the mix and now we’re packing the truck with as much stuff as it can fit, and searching for camp spots you can drive to. It’s what is commonly known as Glamping. Glamping is camping done in style.
Prepping Our Glamping Tent
Instead of the 4 kilo Marmot microlight tent functional in four seasons, we have the two room, mammoth 6 foot high, 15 foot long, three season tent. The extra large blue cooler with drink holders instead of a few vacuumed packed dinners. Queen-sized down comforter and pillows to make the camping much more comfortable for a couple than huddled side-by-side trying to gather warmth yet separated by minus ten sleeping bags and no pillow except the one formed by your clothes.
We are packing two folding chairs, with drink holders. The drink-holding, blue esky for our table/fridge. Our glamping tent. A children’s pop-up sun-tent. Two partially-collapsible circles of neglect, or otherwise known as containment devices, so that we can have our hands free to prepare dinner, etc.
We are also bringing two pack-n-plays plus necessary bedding, one set every day, prepared for overnight diaper leakage. Enough clothes for the babies for at least two changes a day, and a set of pajamas, made up as an underlayer, a set of pjs, a fleecy blanket, per day. Just in case. Can’t forget the baby toques, mini hoodies, lycra sun hats and infant full-body swimsuits.
I was wondering how I would give them a bath. What would I bring to hold the water in and can I use the water from the lake if it’s boiled? I found a bright-coloured party tub (normally used for holding beer and ice) and it looks big enough to bath a 19 pound baby. And what do we do about light coming in through the tent? If I thought Mexico was tough on napping in the bright villa we stayed at for two weeks, how are we going to cope with the babies sleeping in a translucent, nylon covering? Hmmm. This could prove difficult.
I looked online with Mr. Handy-Dandy Google for tips on camping with babies, and most people recommend going with babies as early as possible. Even six months old. We are taking our boys, leaving today, and they are nine months old.
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I am going to bring along their little sun-tent as a play tent to maintain the cleanliness of the family tent. I like this idea. A lot. As it is, I spent $4.99 on a mini-version of a hand-broom and dustpan and can’t wait to use it!
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I don’t want to have the babies wearing bug spray so I have purchased citronella candles and will keep their arms and legs covered with long sleeves and pants at all times.
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Since I have the vehicle, I might as well use it. I’m packing two backpack infant carriers for hikes, two pack-n-plays and two activity seats to contain them while we cook and clean.
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I am going to do my best to not let the bubbas get over-tired while camping. I’ll keep them on their home routine of taking naps, eating regular meals, etc, to help reduce the crankiness that can result in crying/noise for those around you.
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Before we do anything, we will walk the area to check for small, dangerous items left by previous campers: cigarette butts, bottle caps, bits of plastic, etc.
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I’m making sure to bring a whole bunch of their fun toys and books that we can read together. I’m sure if given lots to do, and encouraged to get dirty, we are going to have two very happy chappies (I hope!)
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I know that during the day the camping spot at the lake northeast of Whistler will be smokin’ hot, but during the evenings, it can drop down considerably, and we don’t have warm, cozy rooms to tuck them into at bedtime. So I have to make sure to keep the babies fed and warm at night with full set of pajamas, including their fleece sleepsacs, and thick yet compact blankets.
We’re heading off this afternoon, and will be away until Tuesday, so you won’t be hearing from Whistler Baby. Unless the babies doth protest too much. In which case, we will pack up the truck and head back home, and I’ll be back online to tell you all about our glamping adventures with babies!
Twila Olson, Angie Nolan, Gregory Rowsell, Shirley Funk, Lee-Anne Van Dongen Rhb, Charmaine Gawler liked this post
[...] couch all weekend like I have done almost everyday for the past nine months! We are camping dangit (no longer am I calling it glamping), and by golly, we’re gonna like [...]
And Many more camping adventures to come!!