Last year, she had a quick introduction to the beach at Florida when she was about 4 months old. Not too crazy.
Then came South Padre Island last month. Interested. But preferred sand to sea. And turned out to be a shell collector - much to Grandma's liking.
At East Matunuck State Beach in Rhode Island, Vivian found her true calling. She loved playing in the sand. And frolicking and skipping as the sea water surged and receded from her toes. And screaming and laughing and giggling as the waves crashed on her face. Yep - loved all of it. And when it was time to head out, she wailed and cried as if we had taken away her favorite toy.
One Friday, Alu and Michelle and Jo and Vivian and my Dad and me took the ferry to Block Island for a few hours. Jo found Vivian a lovely clear pexiglass beach bucket trimmed in bright blue, and a yellow shovel at one of those toy/souvenir/tshirt stores along the waterfront. And then we walked to a patch of sand and set her down (the beach was another few hundred yards away and my Dad was already tired from walking and we had left on a bench on the pier and this way, we had visual contact with him and Vivian had some sand to play in).
Vivian played and played. And when it was time to go and catch the ferry back, she started to pitch a fit. In an effort to head it off, Jo and I took a few steps away from her, as if we were walking away, and called her to follow. After a few moments, Vivian looked in my direction and raised her arms and made noises that usually signify "Come, get me. I already miss you". I walked back towards her, patting myself on the back for good parenting. No fit. Child prefers parents to beach. And she picks to come get her. Not bad.
When I reached her, she took the bucket from my hand, turned her back to me, and went on playing in the sand. Bye, Dad.
Some pictures from the beach:
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