There were a lot of great things about our beach vacation with my in-laws: the setting, the food, the company (hello, babysitters!). But if you were to ask Cecile what she liked most about our week in Kiawah, I have little doubt that the tidal pools would top out her list.
But before we go there, I want to share with you a little photography trick we discovered. For those of you who have had the pleasure of meeting our Cecile, you know she can take a little time to warm up. She doesn't just dish smiles left and right ... not even to her parents. (Believe me, I spend a good portion of my waking hours acting like a total goon trying to get her to flash me her pinky gums.) It's not that she's difficult or diffident; she's discerning. Ever the observer my daughter. But when she does break into a giggle fit, it's that much more rewarding. And one surefire way to get her giggling, we've found, is to run towards and away from her ... or in this case, from the camera:
Aside from making me feel like Sesame Street's Grover explaining the difference between near and far (remember that??), the to-and-from action guarantees at least one good snap from her. Sure, we end up with a bunch of total duds (ahem, see the blurry number above?), but that's the beauty of digital ... there is zero film to waste. Prego.
OK. Now back to the tidal pools. It was low tide when we arrived at the beach. We waded into the tide waters slowly. There were small schools of fish swimming around our toes, and the sun had warmed the water to a comfortable temperature. I started out assisting Cecile, but it wasn't long before she wanted to sit and splash on her own.
Yes: Sit, splash, and "blow bubbles"--a.k.a., dip her face in the water. It was hysterical, and she was so darned proud of herself. And I was too! Not once did she complain about getting water up her nose. The pools were her perfect little three-inch-deep oceans. Having them there extended our time at the beach by a good 45 minutes. That may not seem like much to you and me, but it's a mighty stretch of time in babyland.
By the way, you may be wondering where Cecile's bathing suit went. Yeah, we just didn't get beyond the swim diaper that day. After getting all C's stuff to the beach, undressing her, and lathering her head to toe with sunscreen, it just seemed easier to stop right there. So much easier! Saved precious time, too. Besides, I think her swim diaper is pretty stinkin' cute. (We got it from the Honest Company, in case you're curious.) If it were more socially acceptable, I swear I'd just let her run naked on the beach. Maybe we should start vacationing in Europe. Yes, please.
^^I swear, she really sees me for the crazy mommy I am. Just look at that look! It's as if she's saying, You have enough photos of me already, Mom. Kindly stop :) ^^
Looking forward to our next beach vacation!
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