*click*
The camper door is closed. Hailey just headed outside to start the fire for S’morning.
Our new little one is asleep amongst a snuggly scrunchaling of blankets after an early morning bottle. And I need to get the rest of the kids out of bed and outside, preferably without waking the baby.
To quote Barney Stinson, “Challenge Accepted!”
I finish getting myself ready for the day while ‘quietly’ moving around the camper. Let’s be real, nothing about my movement is quiet when I’m not in my wheelchair. But I make do.
I gather a few things that are needed as the kids get up and I decide to leave the lights low and the fan running for background noise. I can do this! 💪
I slowly creep the kids room door open and whisper ‘Boola Boola Boola!’ (The traditional good morning call of our campsite). ‘Boola Boola Boola’ is whispered back from all. A good start!
A few of the younger ones come wandering out for hugs and morning stretches. I rearrange the blankets around the baby to block the light as Solly slaps on the light in the kids room.
I take a moment to explain that the baby is still asleep and we need to try to be quiet and sneak outside. Whispering is a concept lost on a couple of them but they did their best.
The older kids start getting dressed up on the top bunk as I get the younger boys their daily vitamins and such. It takes two tries to get Rowan’s contact in but he’s patient and we make it work.
The kids begin filtering outside as they all get dressed and excited for s’mores breakfast with their friends. Wavy was the last one out after I helped her get her bathing suit on in preparation for the beach, later.
Quiet.
All 5 kids are dressed, contacted, medicated, and outside surrounded by friends. And the baby stayed asleep. But now needed to be moved to the playpen. Left sleeping on the bed was not an option.
Ok. I can do this. I’ll scoop the baby, pivot, two steps across the camper and down, carefully, the baby goes into the playpen.
Deep breath, slide the hands under and…
Success!
The baby shifts, eyes blink once, and back to sleep.
💪😎 Next level Dad mode achieved. 🎖️
I bumble around doing a few more things as quietly as I can and head outside. And the baby stayed asleep for another half an hour while we had breakfast s’mores and the kids ran off to play.
The baby woke at an appropriate time and we had a snuggle, coffee, and chat with friends around the fire to start our Father’s Day at the lake.
Happy Father’s Day friends!