Beach — Mama And My Nuki Nuki Summer Vacation - M...

It wasn't the vacation she planned. But it was the one we'd remember. And at the very end, when we packed up to leave, Mom tucked Nuki Nuki into her own bag.

Day three: Instead of "marine biology identification," Nuki Nuki and I built a driftwood fort for hermit crabs. Day four: We ditched snorkel drill to chase ghost crabs at dusk. Day five: I used Mom’s expensive zinc sunscreen to draw a giant Nuki Nuki face on the sand. From our balcony, Beach Mama saw it.

So we rebelled.

"Did Nuki Nuki tell you to write that?" she asked.

I smiled. Beach Mama had finally learned to float. Beach Mama and My Nuki Nuki Summer Vacation - M...

She sighed, then reached over and gave Nuki Nuki’s loose button-eye a little twist. "Okay, Nuki Nuki," she whispered. "Show me what you’ve got."

But I had other plans. My secret weapon was Nuki Nuki—my worn-out stuffed sea otter. His fur was matted, one eye was a loose button, and he smelled faintly of old saltwater taffy. Mom wanted to leave him home. "He's a hygiene hazard," she said. I smuggled him in my beach bag. It wasn't the vacation she planned

We arrived at Crescent Cove, a tiny beach town with a rickety pier and the best shaved ice this side of the highway. Beach Mama had a laminated schedule: 9 AM sandcastle engineering, 11 AM snorkel safety drill, 2 PM sunscreen reapplication (mandatory). She blew her whistle at seagulls.