Anniversary/Mother's Day Weekend: Fainting, Backpacking, Etc.

I'm a big fan of the tradition Jim started of taking me on a little trip for our anniversary. This year we had some scheduling issues and ultimately decided to take Ever on her first backpacking adventure. Our anniversary was on a Saturday (5/10), and Jim took Thursday and Friday off. We went on a family run Thursday morning and then did errands and junk (including a trip to REI, where we got a sleeping bag for Ever and a three-man backpacking tent). Jim spent much of the day packing for the trip. 

I had been staying up really late every night and waking up early (and sometimes in the middle of the night) with Ever. Jim was calling me manic. I was turning into a vampire. I was really tired, but at night I'd keep going on adrenaline or something. So on Thursday night, I went to sleep late as usual (after midnight) and then had a hard time falling asleep. An hour or two later, I heard Ever crying that she needed to go potty. I jumped out of bed to go help her. I got her started washing her hands (she can't quite reach the sink) and then decided I'd go to the bathroom quickly while she washed. I was just starting to sit when I felt dizzy. And then I woke up lying on the bathroom floor to the sound of Ever crying. My head hurt where I fell. Ever was still standing on the stool holding her soapy hands up at the sink, crying and crying. I jumped up to help her finish but still felt really dizzy and weird. Finally Jim came in and took over with Ever so I could lie down on the carpet in the hall. He said later that he heard a loud crash (me falling to the floor). Then he heard Ever crying for maybe 20 seconds or so, and he didn't hear me shushing her, which he found annoying. Then he heard a little moan from me, and then he heard me talking to Ever, and then he came in. So apparently I was out for a little while. 

Even though I knew I was exhausted, I couldn't fall asleep after that. I didn't want to cancel the backpacking trip, especially since Jim had spent so many hours packing for us, but I was worried about my health. I ended up taking a benadryl in the morning so I could nap. Jim woke me up in the early afternoon. I was tired and groggy and thought maybe the sleep aid wasn't the best idea. Nevertheless, I got up, and we eventually made it to the trailhead for a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail that runs along the Agua Caliente Creek. (The Pacific Crest Trail runs from Canada to Mexico.) I carried most of our stuff, while Jim carried Ever in a backpack with a sleeping bag and whatever else would fit in or attached to the pack. We hiked in maybe 3.25 miles and found a place to camp. 

Jim and Ever starting out:

The scenery wasn't amazing, but after a short while we got a little view:

As soon as we set up camp, we shared dehydrated lasagna (rehydrated), hot chocolate, and cinnamon apple crisp for dinner. We weren't sure how Ever would do with relieving herself in the great outdoors since she was just recently potty trained. We took her little toddler potty seat and were glad we did. She had to evacuate her bowels before bed, so we dug a hole and put the little seat above it, with one side resting on a log and the other on a rock. It was a perfect potty, and Dolly worked her magic without a problem. Jim photocized the occasion:

We were in bed by about 9:30 but didn't get Ever settled down until about 11:00. She slept pretty well (better than I did) but woke up in the five o'clock hour. We made her stay in the tent about two hours, until we decided it was warm enough to go out. Jim made some granola/blueberry backpacking meal for breakfast, and we ate it in the tent:

We hiked the last 3/4 mile or so until, according to our hiking book, the trail began a not-so-scenic ascent. Then we went back and packed up. We spent a little time at the creek by our campsite, too.

Ever played in the sand while Jim and I broke camp:

It took us a long time to get on the trail, thanks to water purification issues and some item we couldn't find. We had to make it to Costco that afternoon to get stuff for the Mother's Day lunch at church, which is put on by the bishopric (or bishop's wife). We had a babysitter lined up for the evening so we could go to dinner. I was highly concerned about getting back in time to do the shopping and be ready for the babysitter. Unfortunately, not only did we leave late, but Ever wanted to walk most of the way out.

Eventually she got so tuckered that she got back in the backpack and passed out. She looked really uncomfortable bouncing around back there:

She woke up and wanted to walk. Or meander, really. She was seriously trying my patience.

Then she started to run, which was exciting - until she tripped on a rock and hit her face on another rock. She cut her eyelid and right under her eye. That was sad. Pre-spill:

By the end of the hike her face was all dirty and bloody. These pictures don't really capture it:

We went straight to Costco, all stinky, dirty, bloody, and generally disgusting. Amazingly we didn't run into anyone we knew. Ever fell asleep in the car, and Jim stayed out there with her for a long time while I struggled to figure out what and how much to buy. I finally had him wake her and come in to help me. Jim and Ever smiled as we waited in the checkout line:

Neither Jim nor I really wanted to go out that night, but I felt bad canceling on the babysitter. We did a quick dinner at The Privateer (coal-fire pizza).

The Mother's Day lunch on Sunday was really stressful. Darn the previous bishop's wife for starting this tradition! A bunch of people pitched in to help set up, clean up, etc., though, and I think it was a success. The day ended up not being super-fun for me, but there's always next year.