Elliot had been working on Nora's four month birthday, so a few days later they took her to the beach on Saturday. It was late spring, cool enough that the beach was uncrowded and they didn't need to worry about her getting sunburned but warm enough to get their feet wet. Nora looked around with interest as Liv carried her from the car and Elliot brought towels and supplies. Once Elliot put the towels down, Liv sat with Nora in her lap and put a sunhat on her. Nora shook her head until it fell off. Liv tried again, and Nora grabbed determinedly at it with her hands until she batted it off, laughing. Elliot and Liv were both laughing too. "Ok, you win, owlet," Liv said. "It's not that hot. No hat." Nora laughed happily.
Elliot picked Nora up so that he could put her toes in the sand, and she looked up at him in surprise.
"Ooo," she cooed.
"Does that feel funny, Nora? he asked. Nora moved her feet through the sand and made happy sounds. When she seemed bored of the sand, they took her to the water and dipped her feet in. She laughed immediately and wiggled, trying to get the rest of her body into the water. "Sorry, love, it's too cold," Elliot told her. "We'll come back in the summer and you can go in the water. You'll be so big by then." Nora splashed her feet in the ocean happily and laughed when waves rolled gently over her feet.
When Nora started to get tired, they dried her feet off, put her socks back on and rolled down her pants. Liv nursed her, then they put her on a towel to nap, and she fell asleep sucking her thumb. While she slept, Liv and Elliot had a picnic, having brought sandwiches, chips, fruit and drinks.
Then they snuggled happily together on overlapping towels. "It's been an incredible four months," Elliot said, gazing fondly at Liv.
"It's been incredible," she agreed, leaning into Elliot to kiss him.