A Dream Come True - Part 1

Since we first started thinking about having kids, Brian and I have dreamed about the first time we would take them camping. We both love the outdoors, and we have spent a lot of time camping and having adventures together since we met. This past weekend, our dream came true...we took Abby camping for the first time!
We headed out to New River Gorge, WV on Thursday morning. We stayed in a campground (unusual for us...we like to be in the middle of the woods normally), since we thought a pack n' play might be a little too heavy to carry in a backpack! We had neighbors in the next site who looked a bit unhappy about a baby setting up camp next door, so I was on edge about how Abby would do through the night. We set up her pack n' play right in the tent with us, which worked out great (see below).

Abby was fascinated with Brian's headlamp

Abby was totally wound up and refused to go to bed, so we all turned in together sometime after 9. It was a LONG night. The neighbors I was worried about bothering through the night decided sleep was optional and instead, they kept us up all night. They drove their truck around, parked it with the headlights pointing in our tent (for hours!), set up a huge tent, had a fire, etc...all night long. So, Abby was up a bunch of times and, as a result, so were we. Then, of course, Abby was up at the crack of dawn. The poor kid was so tired that she cried through breakfast and for the next hour. I captured that on film, too.

We were quite close to packing up and heading home (or to the Holiday Inn!). Abby just was not herself. Then, she fell asleep for a quick catnap and woke up a totally different, happy baby. We decided to pack up for the day and give it a go...AFTER we had our campsite moved to the furthest one from any other campers!