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A Smattering of Photos

On my desktop I’ve got some photos that have been sitting there for weeks, if not months, waiting to be acknowledged or at least dealt with. I tend to keep my computer space very clean and organized and so having these photos on my desktop is somewhat annoying to me. Today is the day that I’ve decided to do something about it.

Sometimes when I look at the random photos it feels nice to see faces of people that I love or places that we’ve been that I’ve forgotten about. Other times it reminds me how much of a growing, big girl we’ve got and every cliche in the book that goes along with growing children.

Sometimes the random pictures capture moments of tenderness and sweet friendships developing.

Other times they capture moments of captivation ~ mixed in with running gloves and PJs. 

And then there are those times that are just plain self-centered and nerdy.

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Poolside No Longer

So, Vegas.

We went, we conquered and now we’re back home in the quiet of our own home. I’m pretty sure Maggie is wondering where all the slot machines went, or at least the noise and lights that entertained her.

Interestingly enough, we didn’t gamble one, red cent. It wasn’t on purpose, but it just happened that way. In fact, I even returned a dollar to my grandpa that he had sent with me to ‘play on 7.’

The day before we flew home we got word that it was snowing in Bellingham, upon hearing that news I think I might have stayed in my bathing suit for an extra chunk of time just to spite that bad weather report. Flying into Seattle we were welcomed by gloomy, gloomy rain and a cold, biting breeze. Ahhhh, home.

While  in Vegas we did eventually spend time wandering through the huge hotels on The Strip, watching the water show at The Bellagio and soaking in all the different smells, accents and sights. Maggie was a trooper and content to peek her little head out and watch all the chaos unfold. I kept telling Barry how thankful I was that we didn’t bring the stroller, something I had obsessed over before we left.  It would have been obnoxious to plow through the crowds.

One day Maggie and I went to the Shark Reef and looked at all the huge fish, after a bit Mags was more interested in cruising through the crowds and knocking on the glass or poking the other people in the knee caps. We left after a while and she got to run wild around the sparkling floor, shreiking at the passing nerds from Barry’s Nerd Camp.

Most days, when Barry would come home from  aforementioned Nerd Camp, we’d strap on our suits and head to the pool. At home we occasionally take Maggie to Family Swim but it feels a bit like a production. The ease of walking out our door and winding up poolside a few short minutes later, with the option to gamble in between, is very attractive. So, we took advantage of the situation, making sure to soak up the sun and splash in the water often.

Now we’re no longer living poolside, but back in the nest of our own home. We’ve been up to our ears in projects, fighting off colds we picked up poolside, apparently, and catching up on household things that need to be tended to. A sense of normal has set in again, except we’re still missing The Tubby Torpedo. She comes home to us tomorrow, don’t worry.

So, Vegas.

With a baby and a husband at Nerd Camp.

I’d do it again….only if the hotel provides that fluffy robe again. I LOVED it.

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Vegas, Baby.

We hopped on a plane on Monday to come to Las Vegas to accompany Barry at a Nerd Conference that he is attending. As Barry’s brother put it, we’re taking Maggie to Vegas about 20 years too early. It’s true, that babies aren’t really in abundance on the casino floor. Barry was able to meet up with us during his lunch break yesterday to go swimming, that just isn’t an option back home.

Yesterday was a double-dip type of day, as Maggie and I had two long sessions in the pool flouncing around. There are high winds here and Maggie’s hair has been completely out of control. On our elevator ride up to our room, after the aforementioned dip in the pool, we found ourselves riding with three older gentlemen that most likely were attending the same Nerd Conference as Barry. The three men couldn’t help but comment on Maggie’s hair. This is how it went down:

Gentleman #1: Oh, hey Girlfriend!

Me: [awkwardly smiling and wondering if he was talking to me or Maggie]

Gentleman #2: Girlfriend has some curl! Was she at the pool today?

Me: [realizing that ‘Girlfriend’ was Maggie, relaxes a bit] Yeah, we’re just coming back from our second visit.

Gentleman #3:  Is that a perm?

Me: No, it just does this.

Gentleman #1: Oh, Girlfriend.

The lesson that I’ve learned here in Vegas this time around with a baby is that there are very, very funny people here and Maggie attracts the best of them. She has really been wanting to walk all by herself and greet anyone that walks by.

Mags and I have had a few off-strip adventures, some of which were eventful and some that were just ho-hum. Last night, after Barry was done Nerd Conferencing, (I love that term, feel free to use it in your own life when necessary) we headed to Old Downtown to watch the Freemont Lights.

Barry said that he felt like he was at the Puyallup Fair or something along those lines, which was funny because I’m pretty sure that Elvis and Superman don’t hang out at The Puyallup or that Kiss, the band, is just walking around and Darth Vader is so willing to share his light saber.

My camera died so I didn’t get to document all the craziness that was Fremont Street, you can either choose to be grateful or sad. I probably didn’t need a picture of Elvis talking to Superman, so I’m a bit grateful.

Not to make those of you in the PNW jealous….but we’re headed off to the pool. Yee-haw!!