To some, probably long time parents, camping with a child has become routine – where to go, what to pack, how to spend your days, these things are all pretty simple. For us, it’s an entirely new experience, so nothing is routine. At least not yet.
In a few weeks we are going to venture out for the first time as a family of 3 + 1 dog. So, it’s time to start getting prepared. This weekend we intend to pull out the Boler and do a once over – make sure everything is working (i.e. battery is charged, propane tank is full, etc.) And, we also plan to make sure the basics are still packed away safety where we left it all last fall (i.e. awning, stove, dishes, etc.). And I’ll probably start packing up some of the other basics that we store in the house through the winter (i.e. blankets, food, campfire clothing, etc.)
But, as I’m thinking about what I need to start packing, I’m already realizing just how much camping is going to change for us. First off, how the heck do you fit all the baby stuff in the vehicle/Boler? What stroller should we bring? For that matter should we even bring a stroller, or should we just rely on our backpack carrier? What about storing baby food and formula for multiple days? How many toys are actually needed? And how does one bath a baby in the woods? Something tells me that’s going to be a requirement since baby will likely get pretty dirty spending so much time outside. But, I also suspect it will be a hilarious site for neighbouring campers.
And, what do the adults do when the baby naps? In the past we’ve become accustomed to spending our camping days on the go – we love to hike and go fishing. But, I don’t think any 20+ kilometer hikes are in our near future. Nor are full days of fishing. We can and will still do both of these activities, but in much smaller time allotments). Needless to say, I think we are going to have to learn to slow down and enjoy the campsite.
Our main goal for the next few years of camping is simply to introduce Baby A to the outdoors and hopefully start laying the foundation for a shared love of nature. So, with that in mind, I need to prepare the Boler for a laid back baby friendly camping trip. Hopefully it goes well!
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