Maybe you just have to know when to throw in the towel

So as I said in my last post, I was going camping with Mateo. Well I tend to think that sometimes I can do anything, but I forgot that my son now calls the shots, not me.

Mateo had gotten a virus, at daycare, again, and was also teething but the virus was near the end and teething, well that is a regular occurrence around this house right now, so I thought we could get through camping. I found out that Mateo does not want to be sleeping outside, and would rather the comforts of home, when he is not feeling well, regardless of mom and dad doing everything they normally would do at home.
How it went down....and what I learned about camping from my brief run at it:

We left Friday afternoon, first it was to my parents' house to visit and because it was closer to the campground. My mom and dad did make fun of us for camping when we live in the country already, they also offered there backyard free of charge if we wanted something different (very funny dad.).

Tip: You can almost never bring too much, because everything helps, if it makes it easier to deal with your child...fitting it all into your car is a different story.

The next day we were off, and we thought this was going to be great, Mateo was a little grumpy but we thought he would be fine once he had an afternoon nap on the drive down to the campground. Well, well Mateo, well played, way to not sleep in the car, and just build up your fury.

After we set up camp, I got food into Mateo, then the battle began for the afternoon nap, but mom won and now it was Mateo 1 and Mom 1.
Then the evening was your typical, dinner on the grill, campfire and bath time and then bottle and to bed.

Tip: For those people camping with a crawling baby who need to move, bring a large tarp and something to surround the area to contain them, so they can play because you forgot that they want to move, and you are outside, with glass and dirt and who knows what else all over the ground.


Mateo went to bed fine again, so now it was Mateo 1 and Mom 2, so here I am thinking this camping is easy with a baby.
Well as we are all sleeping as comfortable as can be on a air mattress, it is almost 12 o'clock at night and my husband and I pop straight out of bed with Mateo screaming, not crying, just screaming. We try everything and everything only gives us maybe about 5 - 10 minutes of silence. So we resort, to something we haven't ever had to do, driving to try to make this kid sleep. Every time I turn on the car light to see if he is asleep, he is just staring at me like a bad horror film. OK Mateo well we have been trying to get you back to sleep now for 2 hours and you obviously are not happy, so yes we will drive back to the grandparents' house in the middle of the night. With that the score didn't matter because Mateo won.

We pack up everything we need for the night, and leave our tent and some other things at the campground.
We get to my parents' house and he is fast asleep, and will stay that way until morning...well played Mateo, well played.
The next morning we have to drive back to the campground to get the rest of our stuff, because we decided camping was just not going to happen this weekend. Hey if you don't try you don't learn. I did learn exactly what I need to pack for next time, and that I won't give up on the experience because I know it is do able, it just has to be the right time for Mateo, as we all know he will probably win for now (wait till he is older, I am sure I will win then....ha, ha).
PS Did I mention this was also my husband and I two year anniversary (it is good to be parents :))