A deflated air mattress, a dirty diaper and one LONG night

This weekend was our 3rd annual trip to the Northern California Families with Children from China campout. As always, it was lots of fun. And it also seems to be an annual event that I only spend one night in my two night camp out actually in the tent.

This year was no exception to that rule. I knew it was going to be a rough night when about 30 minutes after going to bed, I could feel the ground under me. Ever the optimist, I assumed that the Dad just hadn't put enough air in the mattress from the night before and I fell asleep. I woke up a couple of hours later sleeping on the cold, hard ground. I was warm enough in my sleeping bag and since everyone in the tent was snoring, I just stayed put. Then the smell hit my nose.

"Mama, poo-poo," the Magster whispered. Yea, I kind of figured that out. This was an unexpected complication. You see, I used all but one last wipe cleaning sticky fingers after s'mores, I didn't have enough wipes to manage a bad diaper. My options were not good. The bathroom was a long hike from the tent, outhouses inspire the Magster to scream "No, Mama, I pee-pee on ground," and tents are pitched in close proximity to each other to accomodate the more than 250 campers with FCC making a quick, late night sponge bath in the back of the van unfeasible...it, too, would have been loud. So, I resolved to hoof it to the bathroom, in the name of a good night's sleep. Then, La Nina woke up.

La Nina had to go potty too. Since I was heading that directions, I put shoes on her, picked up the Magster, grabbed a spare pull up and a wash cloth, and headed out of the tent around mid-night. It was a LONG walk. La Nina was stumbling along beside me, whimpering, the Magster was announcing, "Poo-poo, Mommy, poo-poo." I felt like I was on some sort of parenting reality show. The challenge: Dash 300 yards to the nearest bathroom with two half awake kids in tow while making as little noise as possible.

After about 15 minutes of repair work in the potty, the girls were cleaned up and we headed back to the tent. I put the Magster on my back, held La Nina's hand and the three of us looked at the stars as we wove our way through the tent city. Then, another decision which is quieter: settling two now wide awake kids back into the tent on the cold, hard ground OR sleeping in the van where at least normal conversations aren't keeping 10 other families awake? In deference to my friends and neighbors, the girls and I got in the van. I hunkered down in the reclined front seat while the kids were wrapped up in their sleeping bags in car seats. This didn't work at all. The kids wanted to be with me, so all three of us ended up in the front seat of the van: La Nina curled in a bawl on the drivers seat, the Magster sprawled out on top of me. They conked out immediately. I, on the other, was not so fortunate.

You know, it's amazing the night time traffic in a camp ground. The number of potty runs between mid-night and whenever I fell asleep was truly remarkable. And did you know a firetruck actually made the rounds to check on camp fires? I know these things after last night.

I was awoken sometime later to tapping on the van window. It was my husband. It appeared he was a bit startled to awake all alone in a tent on a deflated air mattress on Father's Day. I told him my gift to him was that I didn't make him part of our night time adventures.

As tired as I am, I can still look back and think I'm glad we went. Seeing the girls of all ages and sizes is heart warming. And you know, eventually the kids will be old enough to sleep in the van alone.