This past Saturday night was the Father's Day Campout at Sunnyside Gardens Park. It was Nacho's second year participating but his first sleeping over. And I'm proud to say he was eager to do so with both kids in tow. Yes, as a dad he's pretty awesome. I probably don't tell him that nearly enough. Instead I find the 2% of things he doesn't do the way I would and nag him. To death. But so far, he's surviving, and on days like that one, he was the one calling the shots like a pro. He picked out the spot on the field where to set up, built the tent with the help of some buddies and had everything loaded and ready to go when it was time to head over with the gear. I was just there for a little moral support early in the evening and took off around 9:30pm as night fell and it was time to get my drinking on with the Skillman Ave Tiki Crawl. Oh yeah, that was perfectly timed.
Just like I expected, the girls were thrilled to be able to sleep overnight at the park. It might have been the biggest campout yet, but it still felt small and intimate. The tent village taking over the field was a beautiful sight to behold. It made me love our park even more that we can have these kinds of activities where our kids are able to kick off their shoes and run wild with their friends completely ignoring us. They can just be kids. I know there are all kinds of parents, and that moms and dads often have different views on how much monitoring is needed. And perhaps that is the beauty of a night like this. I really think the dads need it as much as the kids do. They need to be left in charge sometimes without the interference (often disguised as "help") that we moms provide. I trust Nacho with the girls and yet, I've had to build that trust over the years. Moms are probably more intuitive in some ways dealing with kids, but practice makes perfect. And I'm fortunate that I had a partner who was very hands on from the beginning. Nacho has put them to bed on his own, helped cook and feed them, and always soothed them when needed. And yes, he can play and roughhouse too with the best of them. He is a fearless father, and I love that about him.
A night like the Father's Day Campout just solidified all that I think is beautiful about leaving dads on their own. The kids roast s'mores around a fire pit, chase each other from tent to tent, and generally behave like they are autonomous beings. The dads relax with their drinks in hand and everyone is fine. Just fine. For me, the idea that the campout has traditionally been for dads only makes sense and it's one that I'd like to preserve. I know some moms decided to stay over and while I definitely had a slight sense of missing out on the fun, I also think it's good for kids to have that time one on one with their fathers. Dads don't get that enough and they should. They also need the socializing and bonding time with other dads that all too often they don't fully take advantage of. My life these last 6 years has been so profoundly changed by the women I've come to know through the local moms group. I cannot imagine my life without their friendship and support. And yet, our husbands all too often rely on us to make plans for them to have social opportunities. Nacho is a very outgoing person when he's thrown into a group, but he so rarely makes plans to socialize. It's a guy thing, to be sure, but it's also part of the reason why I think evenings like this make sense. And to be fair, it also gave me a break. I wasn't about to waste it either.
Watching Frozen....of course.
No, I made the most of my time off from the family by venturing over to The Dog and Duck on Skillman Ave and sipping on a slew of tasty beverages. I wasn't able to drag all the moms out with me, but a few brave ones were home free and willing to come along. And we had fun. It was the first time since Elisa was born nearly 6 years ago that I slept in my own home without her--or her sister. The first time! We have been apart for a few days here and there, but always when we were traveling or I was on a trip. Never just me at home without kids. Nacho has had many evenings like this when I've taken the girls to visit family and he's had to work or not been off enough days in a row to join us. But me, never. And that realization made me wistful in a way. I miss those days of being home alone. As much as I am an extrovert and a socializer, I also devour my solitude. I need that just as much to recharge. And though it was a short night after all my time catching up with the ladies, I came home to a blissfully quiet and empty house and slept through the night like a champ.
Nacho on the other hand, had a bit more chaos to contend with. Apparently Joe O'Sullivan likes to serenade the park until the wee small hours of the morning. And though Nacho complimented his singing voice, it wasn't the best night of sleep outdoors. The girls wound down around 11:30 p.m. and finally dozed just before midnight. There were kids dashing around the tent and all kinds of noises that at first bothered her, but eventually Elisa caved. She just needed her thumb and rag and her sleeping bag and she was set. Carolina went peacefully but ended up curling close to Papa on the air mattress where she caressed him and slept til almost 7 a.m. All in all, it was about as good as he (or we) could have hoped for. And the best thing yet was seeing the girls running around the park that next morning acting like they own the place. I've always said that SGP is like our backyard. And what kid doesn't want to camp in their own yard sometimes? With this camp out we get that chance every year. I'm already looking forward to the next one...
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