Vegas (with the) Baby!

Well on the 14th I was ready to head home. My original plan of driving straight from Provo to Phoenix seemed like less and less of a good idea. At the last minute I decided to do a stop over in Las Vegas. The drive through LV is longer but the rooms are cheaper there in the summer than in Page, AZ.

Kacy helped me load up the van. Again how did Jason fit all that in there in the first place? I was now down TWO people plus luggage and barely fit it all!

Eric and I headed to Las Vegas. Eric is so easy in the car. He slept most of the way without Tyler to wake him up or my mom to play with him and make him over tired.

I got a room very cheap $28 with all taxes at the Sahara Hotel. When I checked in the clerk decided she had to upgrade my room, since the bigger rooms just had the carpets cleaned. That cute baby can't go crawling on dirty carpets!

Eric was a typical kid when we got the room. He climbed up on the bed, grabbed the headboard and started jumping up and down and laughing.

I must say Eric has been my favorite person to go to Vegas with:
1) Free upgraded room
2) Got a free chocolate shake for him, because he looked hot outside
3) I got to go see the sights I wanted with no argument
4) So many people talked to me
5) Everyone held door open for me (him)
6) Got a free dinner buffet

Traveling with a cute baby who flirts WORKS!

He enjoyed the lights and sounds around Vegas. I took him to see the pirate show at TI (I miss the original show, way better). We saw the Mirage and volcano there. We went to the Bellagio and saw the sights there. The birds in the greenhouse made him laugh.

Then it was time for the free dinner (again thanks to the baby)but I had to pay $1 for him... okay.

Then it was a good night sleep for both of us. In the morning we left to drive home. Again he slept most of the way. If it weren't for the wildfire that shut down the freeway, I would have made it home with great time!

So my trip by the numbers:
approx 3000 miles driven
37 family members visited
1 ex wife met (I also count her as family)
2 adorable babies visited
3 wild fires during the drive home
3 million bugs died on the front of my van
4 major cities visited
1 old friend seen again (Hi Jeanie! Hi Lander)
13 CA plated cars seen pulled over by highway patrol in NV, UT, AZ
0 other state plated cars seen pulled over by highway patrol
Countless laughs and memories.

It was an exhausting trip. I drove so much (all but two hours that I had my mom drive). I was glad I could see everyone I did. The trip went better than hoped or expected.

The highlight was when I got home. I arrived before Jason got off work. Eric and I were upstairs playing when we heard the garage go up. Eric stopped what he was doing and got all excited. I carried him down the stairs, he saw his daddy and laughed for joy. He practically jumped out of my arms to his daddy and didn't want to let go of daddy for the rest of the night. I guess he missed dad.

Eric was happy to be with mom and dad again. However he often goes into Tyler's room looking for Tyler. He always comes out with a sad and confused look on his face. I know how he feels, something is missing.

Tyler will be back August 1st. I can't wait to see Eric's reaction to that!