Baby Rob sits on his favorite towel, rubbing his cute little toes in the sand while licking an ice cream cone. Mommy knows he loves this beach. It’s one of the only places where he can dress and act how he wants and not stand out. When she told him she was taking him, he was very excited. Last night after bath time, she shaved his legs and painted his toenails to make it extra special, but she made it very clear that if he doesn’t behave and follow all of Mommy‘s rules about dress up time, they’re going straight home, so Baby Rob is trying his best to be good and listen to what Mommy tells him. She dressed him in a pretty pink bikini with yellow flowers, and a special rubber diaper for the water underneath so he doesn’t ruin it if he has an accident. He looks down and wiggles around a little at the thought of what he’s wearing and feels the diaper against his tushie. He knows he looks adorable.
He looks over at her beside him, sitting in a folding chair, reading a book under a big umbrella. He wants to be closer to her, so he scoots over and holds out his ice cream in a way that says he wants to share, because Baby Rob can‘t talk, Mommy says. Mommy looks up from her book and smiles lovingly at him. “Oh, can I have some? Thanks, sweetheart, that’s so nice.” She leans over and kisses him gently on the forehead, then gingerly licks the cone, which is starting to melt onto Baby Rob’s hand. “You better eat that faster” she says, “you’re gonna get sticky fingers!” and she tickles him gently under the arm as he giggles and pulls away. She turns back to her book with a pleased smile on her face, and Baby Rob is proud to have put it there, he loves making Mommy happy.
He quickly finishes his ice cream like she asked, then looks around for something fun to do. He sees other babies and Mommies in the water, and decides he wants to go in. He stands up, and slowly waddles towards the water. Mommy looks up from her book, “Stay close, Robert, Mommy will take you swimming after this chapter.” This makes Baby Rob angry, he wants to go now, and starts to tell her so. “Now don’t you talk back to Mommy, wait right here like a good little lady.” But Baby Rob doesn’t want to wait, and thinks he can get to the water before Mommy stops him, and that this will be lots of fun, so he continues to head towards the water, a little faster, giggling at the game he’s playing with Mommy. But Mommy doesn’t like it one bit. She’s up and standing over him before he gets even a few feet closer. “What did I tell you?!” she bellows, grabbing his hand and starting to drag him away, and Baby Rob knows right way he went to far.
“This is the last time we go to the beach, Robert, you promised Mommy you’d listen!” she continues as they head towards the parking lot, and he realizes others are looking at him and feels embarrassed, wishing she wouldn’t yell so loud. “No Mommy, I’m sorry, I’ll listen, let’s go swimming now, pleaaaase…” Baby Rob knows Mommy follows through on her threats, and he loves the beach and wants to stay and come back another time.
“I don’t understand baby-talk, Missy, you know that, you just do as I say! Now let’s go!” and she tugs his arm harder. No, he thinks, I’m a grown man and if I want to stay, I’m gonna stay, so he quickly sits right down in the sand to keep Mommy from dragging him any further. He knows everyone is watching them now but doesn’t care anymore, he’s getting his way this time.
“What do you think you’re doing, Robert?” She stops and turns to him, speaking slowly and more quietly, almost growling the words. Baby Rob knows this means she’s really angry now, but he gathers his courage, looks back at her, and yells, “No!”
She immediately flips him over and starts to pull down his bathing suit bottoms and diaper, exposing his bare bum. He keeps yelling “No! No! No!” but she’s not listening. As he struggles, she spanks him hard, jolting his whole body, and no matter what he does he can’t get away. “How…many…times…until…you…behave?” Mommy says between slaps, but Baby Rob is angry and embarrassed and keeps trying to pull up his bottoms, even though he knows better. Mommy is strong and easily holds him in place with one arm as the other continues to spank his red and swelling tushie. It really burns but Baby Rob finally admits to himself that he’s not going anywhere and relents, just like all the other times Mommy’s had to spank him.
He looks up to see a Mommy and baby just arriving, and the baby starts to laugh at him. “Someone’s been bad, Mommy, look!” she says, pointing.
“Nevermind, honey, let’s go play” says the Mommy, but she casts Baby Rob a disapproving look, and his face flushes with shame. He shouldn’t have made Mommy so angry.
After a few more hard slaps, Mommy pauses. “Are you finished with your tantrum, you bad little thing?” Baby Rob doesn’t want to answer, and tears of embarrassment spring to his eyes. Mommy pinches him and twists, right where she slapped him, and the skin is so tender he cries out in pain. “Well? What do you say?” says Mommy. “Yes! I’m finished! I’m sorry, Mommy” he says, looking back at her over his shoulder. Her face softens, and she pulls up his bottoms and hugs him tight. “That‘s my sweet little lady. Let’s go home.”