early morning beach walk
It’s been so hot lately that I can’t take Baby Bug on the long walks I like to. Firstly, because the sling is sweaty and I can’t stand sweat rolling down my back! And secondly, because I’m trying really hard not to let her get a tan. It’s tough. She’s taking after me and tanning easily. Next month we’ll be able to use sunscreen but secretly between you and me, I hate the stuff. I know, I know, I’m going to die of skin cancer. I probably will. But I never wear anything on my skin (no make up, no sunscreen) and I hate the feeling of lotion on my face. But I will suck up my discomfort for Baby Bug’s health and start slathering the stuff on her and myself next month. Until then we are stuck taking walks at sunset and at the crack of dawn.
Usually, I can’t get my act together at the crack of dawn. I used to be able to, in those olden days before I had a baby. Now it’s usually noon before I’ve had a shower, gotten dressed, done the dishes, made some coffee and fed the cats. So walking on the beach gets postponed until after sunset, which is a real drag because both Baby Bug and I get bored of the house by noon AND morning is the best time to be taking pictures at the beach. Sunset is nice too but you know how the evening goes, time to make dinner, time to rock the baby to sleep etc. etc. etc. zzzzzzzzz.
So this morning I was determined. It’s been hotter than dog’s breath and for once when I opened the sliding glass door I felt a refreshing breeze. Without even changing out of my pajamas (cut off sweats and a tank top) I hopped into the sling, strapped the baby on and jumped out the door. Then I walked straight across the street and ordered myself a medium half decaf latte. What a treat!
Except I forgot a few things about going to the coffee shop across the street early in the morning. There are lots of people there. Lots of people who haven’t seen me since those days I used to be pregnant and take walks every day at the crack of dawn. Lots of people who haven’t seen the baby. And guess what? I forgot to wipe the green eye goop out of her eyes. She has clogged tear ducts (the doctor said this is normal and she’ll grow out of it in a year) and her eyes were all goopy and gross. What a horrible mom I am! Not to mention my hair looks like a raccoon washed it and I’m wearing the slob shorts. Oh me oh my. See what happens when you leave the house without your act together? You want to seep into the waxed concrete floor and become invisible.
Oh well. At least I got some good pictures for you. I think I’ll make some of them into desktops over the next few days.
21 Comments
Steph
Good for you for getting out….even if baby bug had goopy eyes!!! LOL I love your beach photos….what a nice place to raise your baby bug!!!
Jolee
beautiful beach shots! I had no idea you were such a talented photographer! i have obviously been missing out! will keep going through your archives. :) love reading ur blog too. Juliana and I made a brief stop in Paris, so i had fun looking at ur pics and log from your trip.
Sheree
That cool breeze was heaven! Except it disappeared by the afternoon here and we had to turn the a/c on all night. :(
I’m LOL at your slob shorts….I have a couple of pair of those and it never fails that if I’m wearing them, someone I would have liked to impress will see me.
Amy
wouldn’t you say that its just plain right worth it the rent we pay to be able to walk outside, down the boardwalk, sand in your toes, ocean air in your lungs! gotta love it. baby bug has no idea how darn lucky she is…your camera takes awesome photos!
Leah
The good news is that no one probably noticed the hair or the slob shorts because they were so excited to see the baby.
Clownfish
I too love your beach photos! The lone lifeguard stand on the beach is a shot I’ve always liked.
Phc
Squirt breastmilk in her eyes to clear clogged ducts. It works!
Kathy
I do love your photos. Any chance you could make the one from a couple of weeks ago of a rear shot of your niece walking down the road throwing her hands up in the air into a desktop photo? I LOVE that picture, as that is how I feel a lot of days, and I would use it as my desktop into eternity. If you get around to it, I’d love to use it.
carrien
Ditto on the breast milk if they get infected. And gently massage around the inner eye and nosebridge once a day. It gets rid of the clog faster, which is actually a little tiny membrane that normally breaks but not always right when they’re born. Worked for my kids.
chlamygirl
yeah they are fantastic pics!
josephine
Kathy: will do. :)
Mary
SAJ, neutrogena has a new sun tan lotion…well its not a lotion. You get it in an spray can and spray a cool mist over yourself…and thats it…it dries and no rubbing or anything. I don’t like make up or any kind of anything on my skin either, but I turn as red as a lobster if I’m in the sun. I went hunting about two weeks ago for something to take to the beach with me and found this stuff…it wonderful :). Hugs!
BeachMama
Gorgeous photos. Thanks for sharing them, even if you had to get a coffee in your pj’s. It was worth it.
I hate sunscreen too, but slather my pasty white son each and every day. He should not suffer for my loathing of spf.
Jennifer
You’re making me want to get up early and drive to the beach sometime in the next week. It would be a real treat for my girls.
I think we’ve all had outing like the one you described at the coffee shop. It could have been worse than goopy eyes. When I returned for a visit to my former job (elementary school) a few months after having my first babe she was just beginning to wear a helmet to correct her head flattening. I ran into so many parents who looked at my child like she was an alien.
Carmen
Hey, I asked my ped ages ago, like I think five kids ago, about sunblock for babies. He said after 3 or 4 months, it was ok. Maybe ask your doc? My first son is pasty white with red hair, and the sunblock was an absolute necessity. I’ve used it on my other kids from about the same age.
kedge
This morning I rolled out of bed, tucked my nightie into my flowered shorts, and went to the mail box. Bobby ha dto go outside and I wasn’t in the mood for our normal two mile.
Denise
Get the spray on sunscreen – several brands have it. I could never get my 13 yo daughter to wear sunscreen until we found that.
AmyinBC
You are the third blogger today to relate the fact that you did something different exercise wise this morning. And I did too! Instead of ignoring the fact that my doggies need their daily walk (been too stinking hot when I get home from work) I got up early and took them BEFORE work. Only in my case it was me who looked like hell with goop coming out of my eyes ;)
Beautiful baby. But you know that.
Charla
My little one has clogged ducts, too. It’s got to be annoying for her, because I know it is for us. Bless their little hearts! :)
Scarlett
ooohhh I so remember those days!! Having to practically pack a suitcase to go anywhere! When my son was born, we lived on the island of Jersey (in the English Channel, Jersey cows and all that!) and so we walked everywhere we went! I just packed a new bag every night with all the necessaries: nappies, baby wipes, hat, sunglasses (he was SO darling in his baby sunglasses!), change of clothes and an extra dummy or pacifier!) and made our daily walks an adventure, much like you do! It’s all part of the process this going out and getting caught in your grubbies or whatever! Your little doll’s a doll, and so, goop in the eyes or not, everyone can see that’s she’s darling!!! Ya’ll have fun!
Michele
I’m 36 and I’m a Cali girl through and through. I was a lifeguard from 16-18 and being outside in general is a way of life for me. I didn’t put a lot of sun block on either–thinking what would it really matter. I just had liquid nitrogen put on my face to burn off the skin growth from sun damage. I also have to put on cream to bleach the brown spots on my skin. My dermatologist tells me to wear nothing less than 30 spf on my face and body. Please, please don’t let that baby ever have to go through what I have had to. I have an 8 half Portuguese boy who tans easily too, but I slather that child up every day when he goes swimming or on his scooter or bike. I know it’s not fun but it’s worth is.