Aaron loves camping and I have grown to love it too.  We got engaged on a camping trip (my first ever camping trip, by the way) and we went camping and hiking in Tennessee just a few months before I got pregnant with Porter.  We have been waiting for Porter to grow up a little more before taking him on a major camping expedition.  We decided that we should ease into the camping, starting in our very own backyard before venturing out into the wilderness.  That way if Porter decided he wasn’t havin’ it, he could just come inside and sleep in his own bed.

I had known that we were going to do this at some point this summer, but I was a little stunned last Friday afternoon when Aaron said, “I think I am going to camp in the yard with Porter tonight.”   It was very smart on Aaron’s part to just state this as fact, especially so late in the day–leaving me with no real time to freak out about it!

Porter got an indoor play tent from my mom for Christmas, so he already knew what a tent was–and that tents are fun!  Aaron carefully explained to P that we were going to set up a tent in the backyard and have a special Daddy-Porter camp out during which they would sleep not in the house in beds, but outside, in a tent with blankets and sleeping bags.  Porter was definitely excited, especially when he saw the tent–MUCH bigger than the play tent he was use to!

Our neighbors were outside giving us the ol’ smile and nod.  I knew what they were thinking: “Yeah, that kid will be bawling by 9pm, in his own bed indoors by 9:05.”  I knew they were thinking that because I was thinking it too.  I really didn’t think Porter would get through the whole night.  He’s two and for the first time in his WHOLE LIFE he would be sleeping in something other than a his crib or pack n’ play (well, aside from his time at the hospital!)  He was going to be exposed to complete darkness and insects and hear our neighbors cursing at each other without four walls to muffle the noise!  How was this possibly going to work?

Dinner and bath time went as usual, but we let Porter stay up late so it would be just about dusk as Aaron and P headed to bed.  Porter was SO EXCITED to be in the tent, but as soon as he realized that mommy wasn’t staying in the tent all hell broke loose.

Yes, that is my son bawling while my husband laughs at me for taking a photo.  But I was taking photos of the whole First Camping Experience and this was part of it!

So it was decided that I should go in the house as quickly as possible in an effort to get Porter to calm down.  I carefully spied on the boys from Porter’s bedroom window.  Aaron successfully got Porter to calm down and I could hear Aaron softly reading to Porter while in the tent.

So sweet!

What did I do while they were out there?  You mean, besides worry?  I ironed curtains.  Totally lame and boring.  Aaron texted me to let me know that Porter had fallen asleep cuddling closely to daddy which put my mind at ease.

And I am very happy and slightly shocked to report that Porter did indeed sleep outside with daddy the whole night.  Here is the little man still in Dreamland on Saturday morning…

This camping adventure went so well that we will actually be participating in a Family Camp Out at our local community park, which includes all sorts of kid activities, food and a night time outdoor movie all for a small fee.  Should be fun and if for some reason we need to bail, we are only 3 miles or so from our house!