Camping

Next week my family will embark on our 3rd annual camping trip to Russian River along with our good friends. Every year we pack up our cars as tight as we can fit them and drive up north and enjoy a few nights under the stars. We typically over pack while forgetting important things at the same time. Since both our kids and our friends children are the same ages, it has always been a trip geared mostly towards our sons enjoyment, but this year is already starting out much different with our 6 month old daughters in tow. Although I am extremely excited for this camping trip, I am equally apprehensive about how our babies will do in the heat and cold. Since the girls are not yet crawling or walking, keeping them confined may seem easier, but keeping them entertained will be a different story. At home we take advantage of an assortment of toys, rotate between the exesaucer and jumparoo and roll around on the playmate. What would a baby do with out these things while camping? If we had a hard time packing our car last year with two adults, a toddler, camping gear, food and clothes, how would it be possible to squeeze a baby, her carseat and all of her belongings in the same car? The answer? Simple, rent a Uhaul trailer! That's right. This year, while camping in tents we will have a Uhaul trailer carrying all the additional items we THINK we need but probably won't use. Sounds crazy right, but when you think about the things we will use for two 6 month old babies, it seems like the only reasonable thing to do.

The other thing that keeps coming up is how I will handle cloth diapering while camping. I had never thought twice about it since the camp grounds we stay out provide full size, coin washer and dryers. I figured I would bring mostly prefolds and covers and the dozen pockets I have and do a load a laundry while we're there, but then I thought about how messy my daughters poop has become and wondered how I would wash it? If I am at home I currently swish it in the toilet (I am eagerly waiting on my diaper sprayer), but I don't want to swish my daughters cloth diapers in the public toilets at the camp grounds, yuck! Then I thought about using the water hose, but then that means poop would be on the ground where we are actually camping and close to where our toddlers play, double yuck! So, then I considered using my gDiapers with biodegradable, flushable inserts. I'm still not exactly sure how or what I will be doing, but I know I need to figure it out soon.