vegas baby vegas!

we went away to Vegas for the holiday. it was quite an adventure... we left on friday afternoon after his nap. took us about 5.5 hours to get there.. he ate twice in the car and overall melted down only once. once we arrived, he was up and confused since it was almost time for his last bottle and he didn't get his bath yet. we checked into the hotel after meeting up with the rest of the family (in-laws, cousins, aunt and uncle). we got lost getting to our room (which happened to be in another tower on the OTHER side of the hotel). then FINALLY unpacked the bath stuff to give jake a bath (at 10:15pm). he got his last bottle (which was too warm for him and he melted down again) a little before 11pm. he did not get his normal naps during the car ride and it was still HOT and dry there so i guess he did not sleep well. i did not sleep well either since i got to sleep on the couch. we got two suites that were adjoining with the auntie's family. so our suite had 5 adults and a baby. theirs had 3 adults, 2 kids. sigh... jake didn't feel comfortable in his crib i guess even though i brought his sheets and blankets. anyhoo, we had 2 beds and a single pull out couch. i ended sleeping on the couch portion while joey slept on the pull out. not comfortable AT ALL!! it slanted down and basically with a crying kid who kept getting up from 2am, i got no sleep. i tried to keep him quiet by bringing him onto my sleeping area and i could pat his back but that didn't work very well. he kept waking me up. i guess the snoring from everyone didn't help either. my poor in laws came into the room around 3am after gambling and Jake was WIDE awake and ready to play at 5am. I don't think i could have survived this trip without my MIL. she is the most patient and awesome lady ever. she woke up smiling to play and feed jake every morning. we spend saturday going to various hotels and eating. :) we were supposed to come back on sunday but since everyone else was going to be there until monday, we decided to stay. saturday night was a little better since jake got to nap. he woke up at 6am. i got to sleep a little more. sunday was spent shopping at the mall near the hotel and then hanging out in the hotel room with jake. the rest of the family went gambling (including the hubby). Jake melted down 3 times during the ride home on monday. that was NOT fun. crying kid who looks like he is having a seizure while in the car is not a fun time. it only lasted less than 10 minutes each time but DUDE, i couldn't even comfort him because we were in the FREAKING car and there was so much traffic.
we got home after 6 LONG hours and then the fun began. i had to unpack, organize, do 3 loads of laundry (saved the last 2 loads for the next day), cook jake's food, clean and dust, and find some time to shower before bed. i had tuesday off as well from work but i had to go get my TB test for work, meet with the event planner for jake's birthday, and still clean and do laundry.

i feel physically exhausted but mentally rested since we went on our vacation. it was really nice to get out of town and since i prepared so well (pat on my back), taking a baby was not too overwhelming. he came back with a tan on his legs (no sunburn, go us!) and we know that traveling is NOT impossible!!! i feel like we conquered a major mountain or something. it feels like quite a great accomplishment!

sadly, i didn't take any pictures on our trip. we have some taken with joey's camera but the majority of the pictures are on my FIL's camera. i need to get those and will post! :)

highlights of the trip: seeing jake's face light up during the bellagio water show! he was so entranced and loved the music (even the canons). plus he met another little boy (the same age) and they touched hands. too cute. i got a new purse!!!!!!!! my FIL got it for me!!!!!! i think he felt bad about how stressed and tired i am all the time. he got a first hand experience of what it is like to sleep and take care of jake. ;)

latest developments with jake: he can stand up while holding onto something with one hand more easily now, stopped crawling on his belly completely since about 2 weeks ago, the teeth are definitely showing now, can "walk" as long as he is holding onto something, stopped taking a bath before his last bottle and now is bathing after dinner and before going down to bed, is eating puffs off his high chair table (can grab them with him fingers and put into his own mouth), can drink out of a water bottle as long as i hold and tip for him (discovered this in vegas), HATES being restrained in the stroller or car seat, and can give high fives on his own now!

here are the pictures i do have..
2nd night.. eating his last bottles before bed
saturday morning... walking to the bellagio buffet from the Palazzo hotel
the strip
he's happy.
the bellagio water show
it was over 100 degrees during our entire trip and this was the only time he was okay with me holding him in this heat. he may not look super happy in this picture but he was seriously entranced.
our only family photo during this trip... i think... jake wouldn't look at the camera.. he was too busy.. this was taken during dinner on saturday.. it was auntie's birthday
sunday at the mall. grampa is feeding the kiddo.
sunday afternoon. he pinned down his uncle. :)
on Tuesday evening i think.. i was trying to get jake to go to sleep and i was tired.
this was taken in june but i'm trying to get the kiddo to burp so i can go to bed.
trying to get a picture of his teeth
and TEETH!!! look closely on his bottom gums..