Baby Hut 2009: It doesn't always go as planned

This year, as we have for many years now, we spent Christmas with some of our best friends up at one of the 10th Mountain Division Huts. [ http://www.huts.org/hut_details/belvedere_hut_details.html ]

We were supposed to have 3 families with new babies there this year and we were really excited about it. 
[ http://jakeanderinlewis.blogspot.com/2009/12/skiing-with-xander.html ]

This was our chance to prove once again that
#1 We weren't the only parents crazy enough to drag their kid along on adventures many single people wouldn't brave

#2  That our investment (and our friends'
[ http://jakeanderinlewis.blogspot.com/2009/03/receiving-our-chariot.html ] ) in the Chariot and all the accessories was worth every penny

#3 We would still get out and play in the winter, just like we did in the summer and fall.

#4 Xander is the coolest kid ever- and we are the luckiest parents!

Unfortunately, things don't always go as planned, and both of the other baby families had to back out of coming with us this year.  Alex Spuhler is a very fast walker, and smiley mischief-maker; his parents decided that the open room with the 300-400 degree wood burning stove was just too much temptation, and too much danger, even with constant supervision.  At the same age, Leah Brown doesn't move as fast, and generally is better at listening to Mom's rules, but both Sarah and Leah caught a nasty cold- and hiking at 11,400 ft is tough even on the healthy, so they stayed home as well.

The hike in on Christmas morning was good, but bitterly cold (-10* F) .  We had Xander bundled up in a snow suit, a down sleeping bag and his blanket inside his recently improved super wind and rain resistant Chariot, so he was toasty warm.  No such luck for our friend Karyn who unfortunately got frostbite in her fingers on the way up (but was still gung-ho enough to ski the next day).

Xander and I came down with a cold Christmas Eve and we struggled with it the entire time we were up at the hut, especially Xander.  I'm not sure if it was the altitude, his stuffy nose, the fact that I'd changed his formula on him, or what exactly, but Xander started refusing his bottles... even water or juice.  He also wasn't sleeping well because he was so stuffed up, so I spent a lot of time as his "pillow".  By Sunday morning, we thought it best to leave early in the morning and get Xander back home.

Xander wasn't the only one wanting an early departure- the whole group left earlier than usual on Sunday.  Russ came down with the stomach flu on our last night at the hut, and was bravely miserable until morning when it was safe to get him home. 

As much as went wrong on the trip, we still managed to have a great time, and once again we were reminded of how beautiful our home state is and how grateful we are for the friends we have.  Not only are our friends loving, caring, fun and adventurous people, but they are also extremely able and prepared and smart.  These are people that we can count on completely.  In a crisis, or even on a bad day, they are there, ready to do whatever it takes to help pull you up and keep you well. 

And for those still wondering if Xander's okay- he's just fine.  As soon as we were home, we went back to his normal formula and he got some good rest and started hydrating again.  We both still have a cold, but are on the mend.