Geeks Go Camping aka Things Not To Do the Last Week of October

So, when it was 80 degrees out and sunny at the end of October, I thought, what better idea than to take the family camping. Last time Jai and I went camping it was way too hot out and I got chigger bites all over my feet so we only lasted one day. This time, I was sure I had chosen the perfect time of year.   So we packed up the Honda Fit and drove up to Fort Pillow State Park.  The park doesn't take reservations for camping, so we were a little worried we would drive up Friday night and not be able to get a spot.  

This was not, however, a problem.  When we arrived on Friday night it was 45 degrees and raining, so needless to say, the campground was empty.  We were the only family camping in the 35 site rural camp ground, because we were the only people stupid enough to think we wouldn't freeze to death.  (we are from the north so we like to think we can handle the cold much better than these southerns we will around now).

So we set up our little tent (on a pile of mud) and hunkered down for the night.  I had brought a bunch of blankets and 2 sleeping bags, thinking we would zip the sleeping bags together and snuggle Zuul warmly in between us.  Turns out our sleeping bags don't zip together.  So I thought we would just lay one on the bottom and one on the top.  Turns out sleeping bags don't work so well like that.  So while I was under half and sleeping bag and a pile of blankets with Zuul warmly tucked into me Jai was freezing to death.  Every time I tried to cuddle into him to keep him warm (I could tell he was cold) he thought I was cold and covered me more with what little blanket he had.  Needless to day, when we got up in the morning he was a little ticked I had insisted on doing this whole thing. 

It had rained the night before so Jai had to dry tiny twigs over the propane stove to make a fire so we could be a little warm.  Also, for some reason, our stove takes 45 minutes to heat water so on top of being cold Jai was super cranky because he could not have his coffee. 

 

 While Jai made fry cakes and I stoked the fire, baby Zuul was all bundled up in her carseat staying warm. I made her a terrible hat and despite being horribly made, it was super warm for her so I felt better about dragging her out to the cold. 

We also warmed her by the fire (super good parenting if you ask me).  Don't worry, child sleepwear is flame retardant.

We also let her sit in the car with the heat on for a few minutes while Jai filled out the paperwork for out campsite that should have been filled out the night we arrived.  We ran into a park ranger later that day and he did not say anything so I think we are in the clear.

 

After breakfast we bundled up Zuul and went out in search of more dry wood for the fire so we did not all freeze to death.

 

 

Super Jai held the baby and dragged wood around all at the same time.  Listen as Jai tells you who he really feels about camping in 30 degree weather without a coat.

 

 

Note: this is not a campground I would feel comfortable taking Zuul to when she can move on her own.  Our campsite sat right on the edge of this ravine and there were more straight down drop offs like this all over the place.

 

 

 

So, after breakfast we bundled up for a hike to the camp museum.  We ran into the park ranger on the way and he was surprised we were walking.  After a 2.5 mile hike with the baby we started to understand why most people drive.  However, it was really beautiful and we were glad to get to see the sites.

 

 So, after about 1.5 hours of hiking down a road, we made it to the museum. The sign on the door said it was closed but we went in anyways, because we are rebels

Zuul had been in the ergo carrier for a long time so I let her out to roll around amongst the history. 

So also joined a civil war battalion. 

And fired a really big cannon.

 

So, we decided that it would be faster to go home via the wooded walking trail as oppose to taking the road.  The road curved a lot and the trail was more of a straight line.  We plotted out our course and took off into the woods.

 

 We hiked down mountain sides

 Under trees

 Took a break, because its hard climbing up and down mountains and across steep crevasses with a baby strapped to your chest, fearing the whole time you are both going to fall to your death.

 This scary stairway for particularly scary for everyone

 

 But we made it back down to flat ground.  However, that tree sure looked familiar and we had been hiking through mountains for hours and forgot to pack a lunch.  Turns out we had gone in a big circle and were only about 50 yards closer to our campground than we had been before we left the museum. 

When we finally found the road it was tears of joy.  However, it was still a mile more of a walk home, but at least we did not have to worry about getting turned around in the woods again.  We made it home in time to break down camp (that's right, we only lasted one night) and drive over to the fall festival at the camp ground.

 Zuul took her first hay ride.  Had I known it was going to be a 2.5 mile ride at 30 mph, I might have reconsidered.  Jai also thought we were going around the parking lot and was a little worried when we disappeared down the road.

We entered Zuul into the costume contest.  It was really unfair to enter a baby.  Babies are always cute no matter what they are wearing.  Baby in a mask, who can beat that?


Nobody, so "Baby Zoro" won first place.  I didn't explain to them that she was Super Zuul.  I was in rural Tennessee with a baby dressed in devil horns so baby Zoro was okay.

Second place was the second youngest kid, and they gave her and Zuul a giant pumpkin full of candy.

 

So we took a few minutes to go down the side and take a few pictures before piling in the car and going home.  It was a fun day but everyone was super tired.  We would all like to go back to Fort Pillow again, but maybe when it is a little warmer.

 

 

Dinosaur Sweatshirt continued...

Sadly, this awesome sweatshirt is lost forever.  I accept that now. However...

After whining about how sad I was that I had lost Zuul's sweatshirt and how badly I had wanted her to wear them to her grandparent's house in Maine, Jai finally just looked at me and said, "why don't you just go buy another one."  I was shocked!  I wasn't supposed to buy the first one, but he is great husband and he wants me to be happy. 

So, after a six target circuit (yes, I live within 20 minutes of six separate targets), I found it!!  It is a nine month size but that is okay, because she is a huge baby is can wear a 9 month sweatshirt okay at four months and it comes with a onesie and pants so it seemed silly to have 2 onesies and pants in the same size. 

It is currently spinning around the washer getting ready for camping.  Yes, you read right.  Jai and I are taking our 4 month old baby girl camping in October.  Not only is it October, but for those of you not in the Memphis area, it is raining and it dropped 30 degrees from yesterday.  But yet we solider on. 

So, there won't be any new blog posts this weekend, but expect to hear all about it when we get back.

Ode to the One Day Old Sweatshirt Drop While We Were Walking

The Sweatshirt

I splurged on an outfit at target a few days ago.  Zuul has way too many clothes already but I just fell in love. 

The little onesie says "I love to Roar" which was prefect because Zuul has taking up roaring and growling all the time.

 I mean, how could I not buy it.  It had green dinosaur spikes on the hood and a cool green dinosaur on it.  I know, it makes her look like a boy, but at least she is a cool looking boy.

 So, I put Zuul in her awesome outfit and took her out on a walk the day after I bought it.  We had to run to Walgreen's to pick up some medicine.  It got pretty warm outside so I took off the sweatshirt.

But, being vain about how cool the sweatshirt was, instead of putting it away in her diaper bag, I put it by her feet in her stroller, so that people could still bask in its awesomeness.  After I got my medicine we continued our walk all the way around our big block.

Later that night, when Jai got home, we got ready to run out to the store and, of course, I wanted to show of the awesome sweatshirt again.  I looked high, I looked low, but the sweatshirt was no where to be found.  We drove around the block, we stopped at the Walgreen's.  My superhero husband walked around the block, in the dark, with a flashlight to try and find it.  Alas, the sweatshirt was gone.  I can only imagine that some other kids mom found the sweatshirt and realized its total awesomeness and took it home for her kid.  I am super sad because she was supposed to wear it to visit her grandparents in Maine.

Jai also refused to allow me to post this sign around the neighborhood:

Please, share this photo on facebook and help bring the sweatshirt home. 

My Daughter Zuul is a Pretty Little Boy, Part Deux

Okay. So like I said.  I don't mind if people can't tell Zuul is a girl when I take her out dressed like a little boy.  I mean, how is anyone really supposed to know this beautiful little baby is a girl?

 BUT, come on.  I actually went out of my way to take her out in something girly today.

This is a purple onesie and purple heart leggings.  I know the bib has blue on it, but it's blue flowers.  Anyways, we stopped at a gas station, a FedEx center and Jai's work and at all three places I was told was a handsome little boy I had!  I mean, come on people.  I am trying here, you have to give something back!

I will make an exception for the person at Jai's work because she was Chinese and the Chinese language does not have words for "he" and "she" so often time they have trouble picking the right pronoun even when referring to grown adults, so that is totally understandable, but what what the excuse for the lady at the FedEx??

I refuse to glue a stupid bow to the top of my daughters head just so that people will know she is a girl, but it is really awkward all the time.  

God bless the brave, strong people who simply ask, "is it a little boy or a little girl?"  And although it is a terrible double standard, let's be clear, it is not uncommon for a child dressed in boy clothes to be a little boy or a little girl, but when you see that kid in the pink dress or the heart legwarmers, she is going to be a girl.  I have yet to see a parent dress there infant boy in a pink dress. 

Zuul vs. Pumpkin

So, it is that time of year again when Americans put pumpkin in everything (I have in on good authority from a Brit that this is an overboard American custom), and of course, rip the guts out of a pumpkin or two to decorate our porches and yards. 

in 2010, we continued the Pumpkin Carving Party tradition passed on to use by a good friend of ours when we lived in East Lansing.  Being new at my law school and wanting to make a good impression, I went WAY overboard.  Two years later we still have full bottles of liqueur.  People had fun though, so success. 

In 2011 I was officially 2 months pregnant with Zuul, and we had not told a anyone.  I was also very sick, so no only did we not have a party that year, we did not even carve pumpkins which is sad for me because Halloween is my favorite holiday.

So this year we decided to keep it small.  Being unemployed and having a baby we are pretty poor so I couldn't really throw some huge shindig again.  So we kept Zuul's first Pumpkin Carving Party low key.  But, before we could carve a pumpkin, we had to go get one and take all the obligatory first pumpkin pictures.

Look what I found in the pumpkin patch!!

Zuul is clearly done with our shenanigans.

Zuul can't really sit up yet so she is falling over in this picture

So, pumpkins picked out we had a few close friends over to eat pumpkin chili, pumpkin chip cookies and pumpkin beer. 

Since Jai wouldn't let Zuul use a knife yet, somehow I was the one who had to gut and carve two pumpkins, but I made Zuul help with the guts a little.

Jai showed off his parenting skills for all our friends.  Zuul didn't mind.

So, after hours of carving: the fruits of our labors:

Me, Zuul and Jai's pumpkins

Pumpkins lined up for official judging.

Jana and Zuuls pumpkins

 And the winner was Michelle with her princess Jasmine pumpkin which was awesome.  I took Zuul's pumpkin out of the running because we all agreed it was no contest.  She would have won.  I mean, Pac man is pretty complex for a 4 month old.

I really wanted to strip Zuul and put her in the giant bucket of pumpkin guts for an awesome photo but Jai vetoed me because he is no fun.  All and all I would say it was a success.  I can't wait for Halloween so we can take Zuul trick or treating.