If you’ve been following me for any amount of time, you know how much I LOVE the ocean! One of my favorite things to do with Lily this summer is to go to the beach with her! Last summer we didn’t really get the chance to go all that much because I couldn’t go in the water for a while after she was born and I was still recovering!
Now, we go to the beach at least once a week and we have so. much. fun! The first time I went to the beach with her this year was really uncomfortable because I was trying to use my old beach bag. It fit everything we needed but it so wasn’t practical for carrying that, an umbrella and Lily all in my arms! So, I made a change and it has made SUCH a difference! I can fit everything we need in one Summit Hyperlite Mountain Gear pack, and then I pack a lunchbox with our food for the afternoon and clip it to the bag! This allows me to use both arms to carry Lily as we go into the beach since she still isn’t walking yet! And I do also bring an umbrella but that’s so easy to sling on my shoulder while I carry Lily. The whole pack itself is still SO light after it’s all packed up and ready to go!
It’s been interesting how a beach day has changed for me since becoming a mom. Before Lily, I would go to the beach to lay in the sun and read a book. My role has totally changed now. I don’t even bring a book for myself anymore, we spend 85% of our time under the umbrella so we can last longer, and we get completely COVERED in sand! Sometimes I miss those solitary beach days, but I adore seeing Lily by the ocean and how much she truly enjoys it! It’s been so amazing to watch her overcome fears while we are there!
For a solid beach day with Lily, here is what goes inside the pack:
- a fleece blanket for us to sit on (it’s super lightweight so it’s really easy to roll up and pack).
- an oversized beach towel for both of us.
- her sunscreen and my sunscreen.
- both of our sunhats.
- sunglasses for each of us.
- her little sand toy bag which has seven or eight toys in it for her to play with.
- a few extra swim diapers.
- I pack a plastic shopping bag for any trash we accumulate.
- my “bobble” water bottle.
- a book for Lily.
- I attach our sand screw to the outside of the pack as well for our umbrella! It’s been such a game changer to have one of these so the umbrella doesn’t lift out of the sand anymore! The first time I went to the beach with my umbrella I had to chase it down to the water, praying that no one was going to get impaled by it!
Inside our lunchbox I pack:
- an ice pack
- disposable wipes
- a sippy cup/water bottle for Lily
- a variation of food: peanut butter sandwiches, apples, a pouch, snack bars, cereal, peas, banana bread, etc. I try really hard to make sure there’s enough sustenance for both of us to make it through the few hours we are at the beach!
I know some people can get stressed out at the idea of bringing a small child to the beach, but I’m here to say it doesn’t need to be that way! We always go to the beach after Lily’s morning nap, so we eat lunch when we get there. She has so much fun playing in the sand and by the water that she really doesn’t need a whole lot to keep her entertained! I started bringing a book with me so that if a friend and I are just chatting she has a little variety in what she can do! It’s seriously one of my favorite things to do with Lily and I cherish these days together!
Do you have any tips to add? Tell me about it in the comments! 🙂
Linda is a Maine-based photographer specializing in weddings and creating family legacies. You can see more of her work online at lindabarryphotography.com, on Instagram, or on Facebook. If you want to reach out directly: linda@lindabarryphotography.com
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