Just got back from our first vacay in Hawaii with Miss Luna.  She was a dream and was meant to travel, just like her mom and dad.  We loved seeing her appreciate the flowers, trees, fresh ocean air, sounds of waves crashing, smells of delicious seafood, tastes of fresh fruit, tastes of cold beer, tastes of mai tais…wait, that might just be me and Ernie.  Either way, we do sincerely believe she felt like she was on vacay.  Afterall, she’s been working hard on those dexterity and motor skills and deserves to kick back, too!  In order to promote ultimate relaxation, we decided to visit a handful of different beaches around the island.  Unfortunately, it was unusually windy on our trip and had I known this I probably would’ve been more prepared.  Anyway, here are my suggestions to stay comfy and cozy in the sand on the beach:

1. Bring a pop-up tent or something like this. I would have loved to be in a cocoon with Miss Luna and some toys while Ernie bodysurfed and snorkeled. You’re totally protected from the sun, but still have a great view of the ocean.

2. If you can’t get a hold of a tent, bring an umbrella. That’s what we had to work with and it was good enough (we bought it at a local grocery store). Get one with bright colors and your baby will be shielded from the sun and wind and be entertained all at the same time.

3. I would have applied sunscreen to Miss Luna had I read this.  A little sunscreen is much is better than a baby sunburn. By the way, Indian people don’t sunburn so this is all a new concern for me.  I almost immediately turn a charred, third-world brown (not the attractive goldeny-bronzy-caramely brown) in the sun. Nothing more, nothing less.  However, babies are extra sensitive to the sun so I have to start thinking about this stuff.

4. Dry wash cloth(s) if you’re nursing.  Sand gets in all kinds of crevices.  Add some wind and who knows if you’ll ever get all the sand out. I’ll just say that it’s a bitch to wipe sand off of your boobs with your half wet hands while trying to control a flailing bamboo blanket, aka hooter-hider and baby burka (alternative to sunscreen), all while battling wind gusting in your face and an umbrella on the brink of flying away and injuring the sweet, babyless couple laying out 10 feet behind you.  Plan B: let your baby have some grit in his/her milk.

5. Snacks and water. Seems obvious because it is.  Even if you think “We’ll grab a big lunch after the beach,” go ahead and buy that bag of chips staring at you earlier in the day.  And some fruit, something sweet, a big ol’ water, and gum for when you are somewhere in between.

6. Magazines. I rarely have time to read mags w/ Miss Luna and I figured I’d be entertaining her on the beach so didn’t bother to bring any. I could’ve kicked myself to another island (probably the Big Island because it’s the furthest away) for not bringing the 300-page InStyle I bought at the airport, you know, just in case I had some free time on the plane.  Luna actually took a 45 minute nap on the beach and I could’ve been reading what Mila Kunis thinks is sexy and what Michelle Williams considers home, plus so much more, of course.  It remains unopened.

7. A camping chair.  This is AWESOME if you are pregnant or breastfeeding and have no choice but to sit on the ground, in this case, the sand.  It saved my back at a concert when I was pregnant and I wished we had thought of it for the beach.  I leaned up against my diaper bag this time around, but the camping chair would’ve been heaven!!

8. Plastic bags for trash and dirty diapers. Again, obvious, but I somehow forgot them.