Mom Blunders (just one of many)

I was so proud of myself last week: when my friend Amber came to pick us up for the beach and I already had Landon sun-screened, the beach toys packed, and lunches made. Usually I'm the mom racing around trying to cram everything together at the last minute and then inevitably forgetting something essential like water or extra diapers. But last Tuesday I had us beach-ready and rearing to go for one of the best beach days this summer.

The weather was so gorgeous and the water was so warm that Landon and I were able to go swimming in the ocean. Being in the waves without a wetsuit on is one of my absolute most favorite things in the world. I put Landon on my hip and we wade out until it was well above my waist. Jumping over waves, floating, splashing, and kicking around we had an absolute blast.

After lunch and sandcastles Amber and I loaded the kids into the car and headed home for naps. Rinsing Landon off in the shower at home I noticed he looked a tad pink which I found surprising since I had loaded him up on 50 sunscreen and we were only at the beach for about two hours. It didn't look bad though so I just slathered him in lotion, put him down for a nap, and began cleaning up the beach stuff.

And that's when I noticed it. I had used a new sunscreen and picking up the bottle to put it away I realized - this stuff isn't waterproof.  Can I just say - my heart immediately sank to my toes. You've all seen pictures of my adorable, but incredible fair, child. This kid needs sunscreen. Two hours of sun exposure in nothing but swim trunks and no sunscreen spells doom for little Landon. Sure enough, later that night he was lobster boy.

Thank goodness, for unknown reasons, the damage was contained to his back and not his entire body. But that little back was RED. I scrambled on the internet trying to find every remedy for sunburns I could find. He enjoyed his first ever milk bath with washcloths soaked in whole milk spread all over his body. He was aloed, given medicine to help him sleep, and clothed in extremely loose fitting clothing.

I felt like just about the worst mother ever. Knowing my child was in pain because of a stupid blunder on my part was brutal. Every time I looked at him I felt awful all over again. The little trooper only brought it up twice, telling us, "my back hurt" and then running off to play two seconds later.

With Dad. On a better beach day

As my ever-loving husband said, "I guess you'll always check the bottle now!" Chalk that one up for experience. My poor firstborn. It's a bummer to be the "lesson learning" baby.