Well we did it! We took our little rambunctious squirt camping for the first time, and it was somewhat of a success!!
Colin and I LOVE camping! One of our first trips together years ago was camping in Cadomin, which is just outside of Jasper National Park! Colin had a Jeep back then and was part of a Jeep Club, so a group of us headed out there to go 4x4ing in for the May long weekend. We woke up to 2 inches of snow! It was freezing, but still had a blast. Our camping experiences have just continued since then (including hiking the West Coast Trail). I love camping with that guy – he is such an outdoorsmen and I love that about him.
Colin and I have talked many times about how we want camping to be a part of our family’s life for years to come! Getting away from the city, exploring the wilderness, sleeping in a tent, getting dirty, and roasting marshmallows over a camp fire are activities that we want our children to experience and value. So the last time Colin came home we went straight to MEC, bought this awesome new tent (our old one was broken), packed the car and left the city to head south.
We randomly ended up at the cutest little campsite just past Rocky Mountain House called the Prairie Creek Provincial Campground. Once we picked out our site we set up the tent, tarp and unpacked all the gear. Ada had the best time just wandering the site while we were busy. She loved being able to be wild and free, and ran around smelling the flowers, and watching the squirrels play in the trees! We roasted hot dogs for dinner that night and just enjoyed being together outside.
Colin and I were a little nervous about the whole sleeping part of the trip. Ada is such a routine girl when it comes to sleep – she loves a dark room with her white noise machine all cozied up in her crib (who can blame her?). It took about an hour and a half, and a lot of patience, to get her to fall asleep in the tent that night. At one point we caught her going through my wallet, pulling out all the cards and giggling at how sneaky she was being! It took all of Colin and I not to laugh out loud when we caught her! 🙂 After she fell asleep, C and I were able to enjoy a glass of wine by the fire before we packed it in and joined her.
She did well that night, only waking twice and totally confused as to why Mama and Dada were sleeping next to her – but to me, that’s pretty darn good! I, however, heard wolves somewhere close by and it took me a little while to settle my nerves enough to fall asleep again…
It was so nice to wake up the next morning to the birds all cuddled up with each other. That’s a memory I will hold so close to my heart <3. Once we were up and moving, we went on such a nice hike, walking along the creek and exploring around the campground!
That afternoon Ada refused to nap, and on top of that the weather forecast was looking grim all evening and night – rain, rain and more rain. At around 4pm as we watched the clouds roll in, and as Ada was having her 15th tantrum, Colin and I pulled the plug, packed up and drove to Red Deer where we checked ourselves into a hotel for the night.
What was supposed to be a two night camping trip, quickly turned into one – but a lovely one at that! Next time I am so bringing Ada’s pack’n’play for her to sleep in… oh, and more wine 😉
xoxo Andrea
HAPPY GO BLISS 