Gameday: With A Baby (You Can Do It!)

Peyton attended her very first football game at just 11 weeks old… it was a National Championship… no big deal. In hindsight, she was way too young. But it was so special having her there. SO, this past Saturday we took her to her very first football game in Clemson and it was soooo great.

Clemson played the Citadel and it was a 4pm game- the perfect time for her schedule. We arrived in Clemson at about 11am. Andrew’s family is long-time Clemson fans and parks in the RV lot. This is a dream come true with a baby. After we had some lunch, Peyton and I went to lay down in the back bedroom to get a nap in before going into the stadium. It was so nice to have a quiet spot (with air conditioning!) to retreat to.

To the tailgate I brought Peyton’s tiny tailgate chair and THE COOLEST TENT/PLAYPEN EVER and lots of toys! Of course it always helps that we are surrounded with family and lots of helping hands. This is the Pop N’ Go Playpen by the California Beach Company. This thing is a parent’s dream. You can pop it up and break it down all with one hand. It folds up and fits into a small over-the-shoulder bag too! You can use it with or without the UV shade.

We entered the stadium about an hour before kickoff. As soon as we got to our seats, Tiff and I took Peyton for a walk all the way around the stadium. It really helped to pass the time. I made sure to pack lots of snacks- that really helped pass the time too! I bought this clear stadium approved diaper bag from Amazon and was able to fit EVERYTHING she would need inside. There was also a family bathroom in our section where we could change her diaper, which was key!

Between Andrew, Tiff, Sean and I we were able to keep Peyton entertained for the entire first half of the game. She actually payed attention to the game (as well as a baby can) and cheered on her Tigers! She would mostly get pumped up and start waving her arms around whenever they played music. When halftime rolled around, she was starting to get fussy because she couldn’t crawl or walk around, plus the score was already 49-0 so we packed it up and headed for the car.

We stopped for a quick bite to eat on the way home and still made it home at a decent time to give her a bath and get her to bed on time. Honestly, she did a lot better than we ever expected and I was so happy with the entire day. Don’t be afraid to bring your baby with you to these fun events! It may be a lot different, but it is always worth it to share these moments with them. And every single time will get easier and easier. And in the words of “The Hat”…. Go Tigers 🙂