To the beach! (or Adventures in Poopy Diapers)

Or could be alternatively titled "Oatmeal & Prunes are a bad idea for road trips".

This past weekend we went to the east coast to Southern Georgia to visit the Jekyll Island area.

On the way down I fed him his breakfast of oatmeal mixed with prunes and then proceeded to change 5 poopy diapers. Talk about slowing down a road trip! Note to self: no prunes away from home.

On Sunday morning we couldn't pass up the opportunity to go the beach and dip James' toes in the Atlantic (he's already been to the Gulf and Pacific). Instead of putting sunscreen on him I just shaded him with an umbrella.

He was quite fussy which I at first attributed solely to him being tired and in need of a nap, but then I remembered he had made an ominous noise while in his carseat on the way to the beach. So I checked his diaper and it was full of loose gooeyness- actually unexpected because since starting on solids everything has been pretty solid coming out too. This diaper, however, was up the front and up the back- and unfortunately I'd brought a pack of wipes with us onto the beach that only had 3 left in it...one short of a clean bottom. So I was in a quandary- do I put a clean diaper on a bottom that is only partially clean until we get back to the car and more wipes, or do I carry him diaperless to the car and risk getting peed on? Tim's suggestion "why don't you just go dunk his bottom in the ocean?". Now that was not a bad idea- but instead of subjecting him to the shock of being immersed of cool water I decided to hold him above the water and scoop it up onto the offending areas only. It worked PERFECTLY. And while he wasn't thrilled with the cool water I think he was more reacting out of need of napping more than bothered by the alternative cleaning method.

Now that was not a bad idea- but instead of subjecting him to the shock of being immersed of cool water I decided to hold him above the water and scoop it up onto the offending areas only. It worked PERFECTLY. And while he wasn't thrilled with the cool water I think he was more reacting out of need of napping more than bothered by the alternative cleaning method.

Since he was already down by the water I went ahead and let him stand on the sand- he decided that was too much for his tired little heart to handle.

Once up in my arms safe from the water he just stared and stared at the surf. Not sure if this was to keep an eye on what he didn't want coming any closer to him or if he was trying to figure out what was going on with the 'floor'.

He certainly had a puzzled look.

And his ability to hold on to me became quite competent- he was not going back down to the water if he could help it.
I thought he might enjoy standing on the driftwood (this beach is called Driftwood Beach- however it isn't really what I think of drift wood...like wood actually drifting onto the beach- rather it is that the island is being eroded and leaving behind trees on the beach that then die).

I was wrong.

Back in the arms and content staring at the water once more.

I think that he actually would have enjoyed the beach and water if we had timed it better so he wasn't ready to collapse with exhaustion. The water was a pleasant temperature- much warmer than either the Gulf or Pacific that he has tried before. Which reminds me- I still need to post his introduction to the Pacific in Hawaii...