After making love, Jared and I stopped fighting completely. Now, it's a month later, and we're at the beach with Haylie and the kids. I'm now showing, and it's very noticeable, so I kept my t-shirt on over my bikini. Marissa had worn just a pair of shorts and a tank top, because she doesn't like bathing suits. I put Vivica in a cute one piece that had flowers all over it. I love the way she looks in her little swim suit. She's growing up before my eyes. She's now eight months old, and already able to stand up by herself without holding onto anything. It won't be long until she's walking.

"Mom, Vivica's eating the sand!" Marissa said, from a distance.

I drew my attention toward the girls, and scrunched my nose up, seeing Vivica stick her sand-covered thumb in her mouth. "Ew…"

"You know you did the same thing when you were her age," Haylie said.

"It was March when I was her age; it was freezing in Jersey," I said, standing up from my chair.

"Don't tip over, Tubby."

"Shut up."

I walked over to Marissa and Vivica, and I picked the eight-month-old up, taking her thumb out of her mouth. "That's yucky, Viv. Don't eat the sand."

Vivica babbled, pointing to the sand, and she whined as she tried to get down.

"No. Let's go back with Aunt Haylie; you can have your own water bottle. Riss, don't go out in the water unless Jared's out there, okay?"

"Okay," Marissa said.

I rested Vivica on my hip, and she started crying, letting out a rack of sobs when she realized I wasn't going to let her down yet. I walked back to my chair and sat down, before grabbing a water bottle. Vivica tried to scoot down from my lap, but I wrapped my arm around her so she couldn't get down. She let out a scream, and I looked at her. "Vivica Elaine Murillo, we are not throwing a fit. Stop screaming, or Mommy's gonna give you something to scream about."

"Let me see it; I'll poke a hole in the top," Haylie said.

I handed the water bottle to Haylie, and then turned Vivica around to face me. "Vivica, knock it off. You're not getting down."

Vivica screamed, and she smacked my chest, earning a cold glare. I smacked her hand, only resulting in louder crying. "No! You don't hit Mommy!"

Vivica let out a rack of sobs, and she laid her head down on my shoulder. I let out a small sigh, and laid her down in my arms. "Haylie, can you hand me her receiving blanket?"

Haylie reached into Vivica's diaper bag, and she tossed me the pink blanket, and I draped it over Vivica and me. I lifted my shirt up, and Vivica beat me to pushing my bikini top up. She's getting more and more independent everyday. She usually pulls my shirt up, too, unless she's throwing a fit like she is. I expected her to start eating, but you never know what gonna happen with a tantrum. I snuggled Vivica closer to me, and let my nipple brush over her mouth, and she cried even more. I sighed, and turned my attention to Marissa, keeping myself covered. "She's so stubborn," I said.

"Takes after Mommy," Haylie said.

"I'm not stubborn. I'm… I'm headstrong."

"It's not cute to mock your own projects."

"Yeah, I know."

"Mom, Jared's out in the water; can I go with him?" Marissa asked, running up to me.

"After you put more sunblock on."

"What's wrong with her?" Marissa asked, grabbing the sunblock bottle.

"She's throwing a fit. She hit me, so I smacked her hand."

"Aw."

Marissa peeked into the blanket, and looked at Vivica. "Vivica Elaine, you're not being good for Mommy. She's just trying to have fun at the beach, and you're ruining it by acting up and throwing a tantrum. I never did that with Mommy."

I smacked Marissa's forehead lightly, as Haylie and I shared a laugh. "Shut up," I said.

"Viv, Mommy just hit me. Isn't that what you got in trouble for?"

I laughed, as Vivica's hand reached out, smacking Marissa in the face, and I looked at her. "You deserved that, Riss. Get the lotion on, and get out there; Jared doesn't stay out there for very long."

Marissa kissed Vivica's forehead, and sat down in her chair. I looked under the blanket, and stared at Vivica for a few seconds. "Honey, you're gonna make yourself sick if you keep crying. Won't you at least eat?"

Vivica sobbed, and kicked her feet, and I sighed, putting the blanket down again. "I'm getting mad," I said.

"She's just hungry, Mommy," Haylie said.

"Well, she needs to eat then."

"What's going on?" Jared asked, walking up to us.

"No, go back out there," Marissa said.

"Pushy. You take after your mother. What's wrong with the baby?"

"She's mad at me because I wouldn't let her down after she ate the sand," I said.

"That's gross."

"She's a baby."

"Why are you covering her?"

"Because her boob's hanging out," Marissa said.

"Marissa Michelle," I said.

"She doesn't sound like she's eating," Jared said.

"She's not. I'm waiting for her to."

"Good luck. Come on, impatient. Let's go."

"I'm not impatient. Hurry up," Marissa said, before running off.

"Yeah, she's a total gem," Jared said before following Marissa.

I felt Vivica start sucking on my breast, and I let out a small sigh, feeling the pressure die down.

"Is she eating?" Haylie asked.

"Finally," I said. "I thought I was gonna pop. I was already leaking."

"She got hungry. Why don't you use a pump, and put it in bottles?"

"Because, it's easier and faster to nurse her. She uses bottles for naps, and when we're out at the mall, or something."

"Are you still gonna nurse when the new baby's here?"

"Viv? I dunno. Every once in a while when she's not feeling good, I guess, but not for every time she's hungry. I don't even do that anymore; I let her have her jars at home; you've seen her eat before."

"I've seen her throwing it across the kitchen before, yes. I'm not sure I call that eating, though."

I laughed, and looked under the blanket. Vivica looked up at me, and grinned. I smiled back at her, and laughed a little. "What are you doin', Baby?"

Vivica grunted, and she kicked her feet. "Really? What are you gonna do after that?" I asked.

Vivica pulled away from me and babbled, then started sucking my breast again. "Okay, okay. Finish eating and then we'll talk."

"What did she say?" Haylie asked.

"That her Aunt Haylie is as nosy as a crocodile."

What did you think?