Babycation in Vegas!

My hubby and I just got back from a 5 day trip to Las Vegas without our precious one year old. As hard as it was to leave him for that many days, it was a WONDERFUL opportunity to recharge ourselves and our marriage. I HIGHLY recommend even short little get-aways for parents!

Of course, I was calling my mom three times a day to find out every little detail about Marshall. How was he eating? How was he napping? How was his overall attitude? I didn't expect to be that clingy, but being away from him that long felt like a part of me was missing, like there was a big, gaping hole that would only be filled when we were reunited. I know, sounds pathetic! After a few teary moments, my sweet hubby had to remind me that this was much-needed time for me as a wife and mom. By spending time away from Marshall, I was actually getting recharged to be a better mom when I got back. Reminders like those helped keep the tears at bay for the most part!

Besides the fact that I missed him like crazy, we had a lot of fun. Here are a few highlights from our trip:

Walking and talking - if you've ever been to Vegas, you know that you have to do a LOT of walking. Everything is big: the hotels, the casinos, the blocks, the intersections, and not only are you constantly walking, you're also going up and down stairs and escalators. That was a bit of a challenge being 5 months pregnant, but my hubby was SO good at asking wonderful questions that helped me forget that my feet and back were hurting! Questions like: what did you learn from your first year as a mom? What will you do differently with Baby 2? What are some areas of your life you want to change this year? What has been difficult about this year? What has been great about this year? Any of you who know me well know that I eat this kind of conversation up! It was wonderful! Go hubby!!!

Hiking Red Rocks Canyon - this was a half-day adventure that was WELL worth the time and money! We had a wonderful guide pick us up from our hotel and drive us 20 minutes outside the city to climb the beautiful red sandstone mountains known as the Red Rocks. It was a gorgeous day with beautiful views and a wonderful change from the stuffy, smoky casinos on the Strip.

Nice hotel - we decided that staying in a 4-5 star hotel was important to us on this trip. Being pregnant and wanting a relaxing stay, we splurged here. Well, kind of. We still used Hotwire.com, which meant we went potluck with our hotel and ended up paying half price for the room ($150 a night as opposed to $300 or more!!!). We ended up at The Wynn, which was absolutely GORGEOUS! I took a bath every night, lounged around in the hotel's comfy robe, and read a lot, sprawled out on the down-filled bed. It was bliss!

Spa Day - my hubby treated me to a day at Canyon Ranch Spa (part of the Venetian Hotel). I got a mid-week special: massage and facial. I got to enjoy the lovely amenities, which included a rain shower, wave room, aromatherapy steam room, and reading room. It was a wonderful break after walking around so much.

Half price tickets - my hubby hit the jackpot on this one. We found some FUN shows - Tony and Tina's wedding and a comedy show for half price. It felt good to enjoy a show almost every night and not feel like we were spending a fortune!

"O" by Cirque du Soleil - this was our exception to the half price tickets...well, again, kind of. We technically paid half price ($100 vs. $200) because we chose seats that were considered to have an "obstructed view" due to the railing. When Jim talked to the lady at the box office, she recommended these, promising that you wouldn't even notice the railing. She was right! It was fun knowing that we had great seats, while the people sitting right next to us paid twice as much!!!

Celebrity sighting - If anyone watches Holly's World, I saw Angel Porrino, Holly's friend, assistant and sub in "Peep Show." We were walking around one of the new hotels, the Cosmopolitan, and stumbled across a fancy champagne party going on in the lobby. She literally walked right past me, almost brushing my shoulder. I did the whole turn around and gawk thing. I was SO excited and wanted to call someone and tell them, but then realized that none of my friends watch the show (probably bc it's a little trashy!) My hubby had no idea who she was, but felt me tense up immediately as he was holding my hand when she walked past. I was giddy the rest of the evening!

Old Vegas - while we're not big gamblers, we dabbled in blackjack and craps. Our favorite place to go was Old Vegas, where the casinos have a fun vibe and you can find plenty of $5 tables (instead of the $10 and $20 tables you find at most of the hotels on the Strip). My hubby ended up "up" for the whole trip, so that was a plus!

Overall, it was a fantastic trip. I was SO ready to see Marshall the whole flight back but again, kept reminding myself that I was now rested and recharged, ready to be a full-time mom again!