Gearing Up

Well, the school year is winding down and my birthday is getting closer. This means we are planning our first camping trip of the season. Last year we decided to celebrate my 21st birthday by camping. This year we are looking to do the same. However, this year with having a new little one... it will all depend on the weather. If the weather is as cold as last year (below freezing at night) we will have to hold off on our first trip. We hope to be able still celebrate with camping though, we have to break in our new tent somehow! Anyone have experience with Coleman tents? That is was we went with. It is huge!! It will be nice to be able to fit our queen mattress and the pack and play in one half, and have a part where we can put the dog's kennel in the other half... with a divider. We are also planning our trip in the summer, July. We are looking at camping along various places with the end destination of Tennessee. Anyone have good suggestions/locations/campgrounds?

The Fun Has Arrived

Well, I am slowly trying to get back into the swing of things. I have had a very interesting last couple of weeks. As I stated before, my son was due March 12th. Well, he decided to make things a little difficult for me. I ended up needing to be induced. The normal procedure for women being over due is letting them go ten days over. So, on Monday, March 22nd, at 7 am, we started the process. It started out very slow and boring! I did not make too much progress on that first day, so they were going to let me sleep that night and start up again in the morning. Well, my body had other plans. Around 11 pm I started getting contractions. The pain shot they gave me (to help me sleep through the night) made things worse. Needless to say, I did not get much sleep that night. At 6 am they started on a hormone called Patocin. This is the body’s hormone that makes a woman go into labor. At 10 am I was offered my Epidural, and I took it! Then, around noon my water broke. Then at 2 pm I started pushing, and pushing, and pushing. Around 3 or 4 I told the midwife he was not coming out and I wanted a c-section. They told me I just wasn’t pushing effectively enough and to keep going. Easier said than done! The Epidural had worn off and I was extremely uncomfortable. They allowed me to get another epidural, but it wouldn’t be effective right away because they had to wait until I could have another dose. So, I had to get another type of medication that was not as strong. Finally, a doctor came in to assess the situation. He was still not coming forward enough. They could not even feel his shoulders, so the vacuum was not an option. So this allowed me to finally get a c-section (hours after I knew it was going have to happen this way). So, finally after 11 days of waiting, 6 hours of pushing, two Epidurals later (and another spinal tap for the surgery), my son was born at 8:14pm on Tuesday, March 23rd. He was a large 10 lbs 2 oz. (The reasoning for him not coming out. He even had a open wound on the back of his head from hitting while I was pushing, poor little guy.) He was a long 21 ¾ in long and a head of 14 ½ inches. He did not fit in too many newborn outfits. The recovery had been long. We were released from the hospital that following Friday. But, within a week or so, my incision became infected. This was due to being fully dilated and being on blood thinners for my blood clotting disorder. So, for the last several weeks, I have had to have nurses come 1 to 2 times a day and stuff my open wound. (Sorry if that is graphic for some.) I am still on lifting restrictions of 15 lbs and can only drive if I do not take any pain pills. But, we are slowly getting in the swing of coming back to school (next week) and starting up my internship here again. I hope everyone enjoyed my labor story. Happy rest of the week!

Ready or Not...

Baby Update: Well, Hayden still has not arrived and I am now 8 days overdue! If he continues this pattern, I will be going in at 7am on Monday, March 22nd, to get induced. Now days, they let ladies go ten days until they start this process. First, after day 7 of being over due, they check the amniotic fluid (via ultra sound) and a non stress test (NST) to make sure the heart beat of baby is good and strong, as well has measuring contractions (if there are any and if so, how strong and how often). On day ten, they start inducing. My midwife told me that this could take days. They start out slow and see how your body handles it. So, wish me luck and let's hope it goes fast!!

When my husband and I were shopping, more or less to try to help labor get moving... (didn’t help), we found our tent! It was at Sam's Club. It is a Coleman. It is made to sleep eight people. It has a section for sleeping as well a screen tent. (All connected...but can be converted.) It can hold our queen mattress and Pack N' Play on one side, and allow us to have cooking/screen tent section on the other. This way, when we go camping for our summer vacation, we will be camping in style! ;)

Well I am going to relax and watch a movie for my last Saturday night of being childless... Pictures and stories will follow his birth.

Best Camping Experience Contest

I want your input to what your best camping experience was and where. I want to hear about what made the camping trip fun. Was it their trails? Was it there service? Was it their campsites? Or was it just the company you had along with? I want to hear all about good campgrounds that I should try out with my family this summer. The campground connected to the best story will be the one that we visit first!! Also, anyone have a recommended tent that will fit a pack n’ play? We are going to need one!

Baby update: I am due on friday and I still have not had any strong contractions. I am one cent dilated, so there is some progress. We go back Monday!

Trail.com's Top 20 Campground in Wisconsin- Part Two

#10. Wildcat Mountain State Park Campground
Wildcat Mountain is an active camper’s destination. The campground at this state park is really on top of a mountain. The view from the observation area will attest to that... From the guidebook "The Best In Tent Camping: Wisconsin" Ontario , WI

#9. Pattison State Park Campground
Pattison is home to Wisconsin’s highest waterfall. Big Manitou Falls is the centerpiece of this park. Superlatively speaking, it is the highest waterfall in the state... From the guidebook "The Best In Tent Camping: Wisconsin" Superior , WI

#8. Big Bay State Park Campground
Big Bay offers you a chance to camp in the famed Apostle Islands. The biggest of the Apostle Island Chain (and the only one not under the protection of the National Park)From the guidebook "The Best In Tent Camping: Wisconsin" Bayfield , WI

#7. Dells of Eau Claire County Park Campground
These dells deserve their designation as a state natural area. All Wisconsinites should see the Dells of Eau Claire. After all, the state deemed them significant enough to be preserved... From the guidebook "The Best In Tent Camping: Wisconsin" Wausau , WI - Campgrounds

#6. Nelson Dewey State Park Campground
The views from the walk-in tent sites are among the best anywhere. The campground is the star of this destination. It has most of the qualities a tent camper desires: not too big with widely spaced… From the guidebook "The Best In Tent Camping: Wisconsin" Cassville , WI

#5. Buckhorn State Park Campground
Most of the camps here are lakeside walk-in sites! Buckhorn is an evolving park in a wild area that keeps improving over time. For starters, it has “backpack” campsites. From the guidebook "The Best In Tent Camping: Wisconsin" New Lisbon , WI

#4. Pine Woods Campground
The glacially altered landforms here offer many sites to see at Kettle Moraine South State Forest. Everybody has heard that many of Wisconsin’s landforms were glacially created. From the guidebook "The Best In Tent Camping: Wisconsin" Wales , WI

#3. Long Lake Recreation Area Campground
Long Lake is your HQ for exploring Kettle Moraine State Forest North Unit. The northern unit of Kettle Moraine State Forest covers 30,000 acres of recreation opportunities, ranging from boating, biking… From the guidebook "The Best In Tent Camping: Wisconsin" Dundee, WI

#2. Bear Lake Campground
Walk-in campsites add even more lakeside overnighting options here. Isn’t life great when we are faced with a “win-win” choice? Bear Lake Campground offers three distinct camping options: walk-in camping and more... From the guidebook "The Best In Tent Camping: Wisconsin" Wabeno, WI

#1. Blackhawk Memorial Park Campground
This quiet county park on the East Branch Pecatonica River is sure to have an open campsite. Blackhawk Memorial Park isn’t exactly the most publicized place around. From the guidebook "The Best In Tent Camping: Wisconsin" Argyle , WI

I personally have only been to one of these, Perrot State Park. I feel I grew up at this park! Every summer my family would take a few camping trips. This was a nice campground close to home. But, this summer, hopefully my family and I will be able to visit these campgrounds and let you know what we think!

Trail.com's Top 20 Campground in Wisconsin- Part One

#20. Lake Wissota State Park Campground
You will be surprised at the combination of developed and rustic recreation opportunities here. Lake Wissota State Park is close to the city of Chippewa Falls... From the guidebook "The Best In Tent Camping: Wisconsin" Chippewa Falls , WI

#19. Luna Lake / White Deer Lake Campground
Two scenic lakes are available here for your enjoyment. Mother Nature was working overtime in this neck of the Wisconsin woods. The two lakes adjacent to this campground, White Deer Lake and Luna Lake… From the guidebook "The Best In Tent Camping: Wisconsin" Eagle River , WI

#18. Perrot State Park Campground
Enjoy both hilly and watery environments at this state park. The land upon which Perrot State Park lies has been popular for a long, long time. This upper–Mississippi River valley area of bluffs... From the guidebook "The Best In Tent Camping: Wisconsin" Trempealeau , WI

#17. Sidie Hollow County Park Campground
Sidie Hollow is a great “get-away-from-it-all” destination. From the guidebook "The Best In Tent Camping: Wisconsin" Viroqua , WI

#16. Laura Lake Campground
This is a gem of the Nicolet National Forest. The Nicolet National Forest brochure describes Laura Lake this way: “If you could create a perfect campground what would it include? From the guidebook "The Best In Tent Camping: Wisconsin" Laona , WI

#15. Horicon Ledges County Park Campground
Camp under the tall oaks and maples from this vista-top campground overlooking wildlife-rich Horicon Marsh. The Horicon Ledges are a western extension of the Niagara Escarpment, the same ancient rock… From the guidebook "The Best In Tent Camping: Wisconsin" Horicon , WI

#14. St. Croix Campground
This is the most underutilized forest and campground in the Wisconsin state forest system. It is hard to believe a campground this nice and near so many natural resources is so little used... From the guidebook "The Best In Tent Camping: Wisconsin" Grantsburg , WI

#13. Black Lake Campground
Most of the campsites here are lakefront. Whoever laid out Black Lake Campground made the most of the lakeside woods. From the guidebook "The Best In Tent Camping: Wisconsin" Loretta , WI

#12. Amnicon Falls State Park Campground
The campground here makes for a great layover while you explore the numerous falls at this park. From the guidebook "The Best In Tent Camping: Wisconsin" Superior , WI

#11. Bagley Rapids Campground
The scenic North Branch Oconto River is just steps away from this campground. If you look at a map of the Nicolet National Forest, you will see many private inholdings, denoted in white... From the guidebook "The Best In Tent Camping: Wisconsin" Mountain , WI