Living in Nicaragua has many benefits. Warm water, awesome weather, the ability to walk barefoot most of the day most days and wear the same clothing multiple days in a row without anyone batting an eye. It’s great for lightening the laundry load, toughening the feet, and deepening the smile lines.

It’s also great for spending a lot of time with baby. My sister, who lives in the Los Angeles area, has said that she often feels that she had a baby for someone else to hang out with. She works a ton and has to pay for a nanny to watch her daughter 5 days a week. I also work a lot but luckily I can bring my little girl to work.

I do employ a local friend who helps me with Luna while I surf. In the first few months that basically entailed holding her in the shade or rocking her in a hammock while she slept. Now that she’s nearly a year old, it means walking her on the beach.

During the Surf Yoga Retreats Luna comes along and plays at the water’s edge while I surf. I hold her while congratulating an Amiga on an awesome ride, or giving some advice on foot placement. I love being able to hang out with her all day long even while I work.