When I was growing up, my family took yearly trips to were to the beach with my extended family. I looked forward to sharing a giant beach house with a dozen aunts, uncles, siblings, parents, and grandparents. I looked forward to spending hours learning how to make friendship bracelets from my aunts. I looked forward to packing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to take to the beach each morning. I looked forward to eating those tiny boxes of cereal for breakfast. II even looked forward to getting a pound of sand in my bathing suit from sitting at the edge of the shore.
I still love the ocean.
I love the sound of the crashing waves. I love the heat that radiates from the clear skies. I love digging my feet into the sand while I read book after book at the beach. I love the expansiveness. I love how life is slower and days are longer and there is nothing my to do list but reading and relaxing.
I spent a semester in Hawaii my sophomore year of college (rough life, right?). I worked at an ice cream shop on Waikiki Beach and during my breaks, I'd go to the pier and lie down on the wooden planks, soaking up the sounds of the crashing waves. The ocean soothes me.
Except when there's a baby at the beach. (And also, baby aside? I am becoming my father because I JUST CAN'T STAND THE SAND. It's EVERYWHERE.)
It was a lot of fun, but certainly not quite relaxing: sand-coated baby crawling around on the beach trying to eat seashells. He had a love-hate relationship with the ocean, as well.
I contemplated writing a post about how to go to the beach with a baby or a post about cloth diapering on vacation (including cloth swim diapers). But in the end, I decided to go with the photos. Because, really, don't you love being forced to look at someone else's vacation photos?
Here, LOOK: *shoves photos in your face*
I contemplated writing a post about how to go to the beach with a baby or a post about cloth diapering on vacation (including cloth swim diapers). But in the end, I decided to go with the photos. Because, really, don't you love being forced to look at someone else's vacation photos?
Here, LOOK: *shoves photos in your face*
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| My little Gabriel. |
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| The beach corral (our camping tent), cousins, and a tiny banana for a tiny baby. :) |
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| Tie-dying fun. And chalk art. |
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| The beach is tiring for my little man. :) |
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| He loved running towards the ocean. And away from it. Kid just thinks he can run. |
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| Gabe's cousins. |
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| Mama and Papa time. Melty heart. |
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| Oh my word. The way he looks at his papa... |
