apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

We're going to be making a few trips to the beach this summer with our 10 month old baby, and need some help with what we need to bring with us in order to make this a happy and stress-free visit for all. Obviously, sunscreen is a must. Any other ideas?? I've been looking at tents online, and we'll need one big enough to nurse in, but I wanted to see if anyone had any recommendations.

My daughter's third birthday party is coming up and I can't think of a favor to give the other kids. I'm trying to avoid the old bag o' crap party favor. It's a rainbow-themed party. Any ideas? I'm open to either buying or making something, but I don't want to spend an arm and a leg either way. There will be 11 kids I need favors for (not all can attend the party--thank God--but I want to have something for them if they drop by later to say happy b'day).
Thanks.

ShaniLO
If you have a plastic sled they are great for hauling things through the sand.
We have a shade tent that is nice, but I feel that it is actually to tall. I have to really plan where to put it for not wanting to block someone else. You don't need to be able to stand in it. I don't actually remember if ours has more than one side but I'd say more sides was more important that a tall tent, more privacy.

pennycarnival
Friend of mine does a sand pail and a sand toy each year.
This year she just went to the dollar store (the kind where most things aren't actually a dollar) and got a bunch of kites for the kids. Done.
This year I did bug nets with stuff in them.
On my oldest sons first b-day I had cookies made with his picture on them. He's almost 4 and I still have two of them. The store closed down and I couldn't get them for my second son. I'm pissed!

pennycarnival - one of my daughter's preschool classmates gave each child a big ball, likely from the dollar store, instead of cookies or candy.

pennycarnival- why don't you fill mason jars up with partymix- use colorful things such as m&ms, skittles, peanuts. You can tie assorted ribbons across the lid of each jar to go along with your rainbow theme as well :)

Those are all great ideas. Thanks so much. bp090499--I did that ball idea for her first birthday. It served as a decoration and a favor--a yard full of big pink balls that ended up going home with everyone. (Except for a few extras that basically baked and shrunk in the sun all summer.)
I ended up finding an idea I liked on parent hacks. I'm burning everyone a CD with her favorite songs on it. A little Innocence Mission. A little Alison Krauss. Etc. The first song will be Over the Rainbow, to fit the party's theme.
Thanks again.