For the love...

Note- two very clean and dry aunts enjoying a day at the beach.
Now note the child below and her enjoyment all morning- all morning being a figurative statement for the length of time a one year old can focus on any given activity. I will inform you that said amount of time in sufficient to leave one wet, sandy and in need of some attention.

This is what she did- pick up sand, try to throw a few grains, pick up more sand, sit down and rest, then stand up, pick up more sand, etc.

Now, when the moment came that this was no longer entertaining and she was ready to be dry and have a hug and a snack, she proceeded to the nearest known adult. Recall the first picture of the dry and clean aunt. Please do not judge the next picture- the only reason it was captured is because it was truly a moral quandry- well, maybe that's a little intense, but in the 30 seconds that I was reviewing my options, this picture was taken. The thing about a sandy, wet and mildly upset child is that you cannot simply hold them and soil one portion of your attire- their little innocent minds stimulate that little foot to swing back and forth across your abdomen so as to soil your entire front. And those little cherubic hands full of grime see that your hair and neck are without sand and are stimulated to correct that situation- and then once you match their current state, will they lay a head on your shoulder. Thus the cause for the pause.

However, for the love of a niece and for the love for a niece, I surrendered my cleanliness and all was made right. Besides, everything washes clean.