Las Vegas Friday/Sasturday - Heading Home.

This morning we mostly focused on moving. Mom and Bobby went early to check in to the MGM Signature. Grant and I called the bell men and we were assured that they were able to deliver our bags to the Signature for us. (We were checking out of MGM because our deal was over, and the room would be $300 if we wanted to stay one more night.)

Once we checked out, we drove over to Mandalay Bay to try their new buffet - which was really good. They had a diverse offering, and the setting was very tropical. After lunch, we took turns playing in the casino a bit and sitting with Geoffrey in the shopping area.  Then we headed up to Lush where we bought incredibly expensive bath bombs to use in the jacuzzi tub that night.

Back at the Signature, we checked in and headed up to our room to await the arrival of our luggage so we could go swimming one more time. Unfortunately, our luggage arrived 3 hours later, and we were unable to swim. Oh well. It was nice just relaxing and spending time with Mom and Bobby. While watching tv, we saw an add for Outback Steakhouse and decided to go there for dinner - we found one off the strip so it wasn't crowded.

Back at the hotel, we said goodnight. Grant, Geoff, and I took a bath in our huge jacuzzi bath tub using one of the bath bombs. Geoffrey LOVES the water, so he enjoyed it!

The next morning, Grant and I checked our stuff with the bellmen and packed up Mom and Bobby's stuff. We went to breakfast at IHOP. As we were pulling in I noticed that if you presented a receipt from the outlet mall across the parking lot from that day, you would get 20% off of the bill. So we sent Grant and Bobby to Carter's to get a $4 clearance onesie for Mr. Geofferson which ended up getting us $8 off our bill.  

After breakfast, we went back over to Carter's and did a little more shopping. Then we drove Mom and Bobby to the airport and said goodbye :o(

Grant, Geoff, and I went back to the hotel and got our stuff and headed home. Geoffrey did well for the first two hours, but then he started wailing. I got in the back wit him and fed him a bottle. Between that and me playing with him, he was pretty much fine for the rest of the trip home. We made it back in four hours (only stopping once at a rest stop and once for me to get in the back) and we returned the rental car with time to spare. Mom and Bobby got home at almost the same time we did!

Our first vacation with Geoffrey was awesome! Things I learned:

1) Vegas is not exactly baby friendly. Not all restrooms had changing tables and it was hard to find places to nurse. However, it can be done, and I would do it again.

2) Help is always wonderful!

Las Vegas - Thursday

Finally! A break from the MGM buffet. Today, we went to eat at Le Village Buffet at Paris. When we arrived, I tried to find a bathroom with a changing table (the one next to the lobby) while Mom, Bobby, and Grant paid. I got back just as we were seated.

Wile we were eating, Grant got the text that Michael Jackson had had a heart attack, and then that he died. I couldn't believe it! I was really in shock. Poor MJ. All the money in the world and he couldn't get the help he needed. Sounds like so many celebrities I know of...

After lunch, we headed back to the hotel, enjoying a stroll down the strip. It wasn't too hot most of the time. Back at the hotel, we watched some of the Michael Jackson footage, and Mom and Bobby got ready to see Ka. While they were at the show, we did some packing. We met them down in the casino after their show was over and we walked to Fat Burger for dinner, enjoying a nice evening on the strip, and taking some pictures. It was a pretty relaxing day.

Las Vegas - Wed. June 24

Wednesday June 24

Today, Grant and I woke up in time to get breakfast at the buffet. Hee hee. Mom and Bobby had already gone, so they spent the morning with a very happy Geoffrey while Grant and I had breakfast, and then drove over to the Venetian to exchange vouchers for their Phantom tickets.

After that, Mom and Bobby went to do the TV research thing they have at MGM. They watched an episode of CSI and then rated it. Mom. Because of her age, got asked to participate in a further study – which took her an extra hour and earned her $50! In the mean time, Grant and I hung out with Geoffrey and watched the wind and rain outside our windows, and then met Bobby to play slots. When it was my turn (while Grant walked around with Geoffers) I got a straight flush on one of the poker machines! Fun! I ended up walking away $10 richer. Hey big spender!

When Mom was finished, we had lunch before heading upstairs to get ready for the show.

While I was changing Geoffrey's diaper, I did a raspberry on his tummy and he started LAUGHING! It was so cute! I had given him raspberries before and he didn't really react, so this time it was adorable! So fun!

Geoffrey and I had a fun evening playing together. He even took a nap long enough for me to get a majority of this blogging finished! Meanwhile, Grant, Mom, and Bobby thoroughly enjoyed seeing Phantom of the Opera. It happened to be the 3 year anniversary of the show, so the guy who played the Phantom came out and spoke, and there was a big cake for the cast! This makes Phantom the longest running Las Vegas musical. They had great seats - 3^rd row center or the mezzanine.

Geoff and I met them for dinner at – you guessed it – the MGM buffet. Yum. Did I mention that I've been eating a lot of sushi? Oh... and sugar free desserts... hee hee.

Vegas - Tuesday June 23

Tuesday June 23

We all slept in this morning, so we went to lunch together at the buffet. Most of the food was pretty similar to the day before, and the lines were still long. After lunch, we strolled down to the half price ticket booth to get a discount coupon for the Village buffet at Paris as well as Mom, Bobby, and Grant's tickets for Phantom.

Mom and Bobby walked over to New York New York to check out the new casino, while Grant, Geoff and I went to the pool. Geoff had fallen asleep but woke up early and cranky. He wasn't as happy in the water – it wasn't that he disliked the water, but he was still sleepy. I put him on my shoulder and we walked around the river, and Geoff fell asleep. He slept on my shoulder for about a half an hour as Grant and I went 'round and 'round the pool! When he did wake up, he was in a better mood. We went around a few more times before I got out to feed him.

We headed up to our room and met up with Mom and Bobby. After dinner at – you guessed it, the buffet – we went out for a walk. Geoff was so tired from swimming, that he napped for three hours – from 9:00 – 12:00! We were afraid that he wouldn't sleep at night, but he did! He fell asleep while we were finishing dinner, and slept as we walked over to New York New York (we were very disappointed in the new casino – very plain – it lost must of its character,) on to the Bellagio where we watched the fountain show at 10:45 and 11:00, and then walked back to the hotel. He finally woke up as we approached the hotel, so we took a few minutes to look at the Rain forest Cafe. We visited the aquarium (although Geoff was more interested in the bubbles) and the alligator. Back at the room, he ate and then went right to bed! What a good boy!

 

Las Vegas Monday 6/22

Monday, June 22

This morning, Mom and Bobby woke up before we did, so they headed down the the MGM buffet for breakfast. Then they played in the casino a bit while Grant and I had lunch with Geoffrey. The buffet had good food, but had a very poor lay out. I've eaten SO MUCH sushi at this buffet!

After lunch, we went out to the pool. We found a shady spot near the lazy river and settled in. Geoff was sound asleep, so Mom (Grandma) held him while Grant and I took a lap in the river. Then, Bobby and Grant took a lap while I sat with Mom and Geoff. Once Geoff woke up, we all went in the lazy river. He loved it! We started out in the shallow pool so he could get used to the water, and then we went to the river. Mom and Bobby had found an inner tube, so we took turns riding it with Geoff sitting on our lap. He was fine going under the waterfalls and everything! People kept commenting on how cute he looked with his swimming trunks, swim shirt, hat, and sun glasses. Mr. Cool.

After a while, we got out, and I fed Geoffrey. This was the easiest place (other than the hotel rooms, of course) to feed Geoffrey. He's been pretty good about sleeping when he needs to. He is talking lots of little naps throughout the day – and sleeping from about 1AM to about 10 or 11 AM, with one night feeding. He's doing really well!

After our day in the pool, we went down to dinner at the buffet. We were a little bummed that the food at dinner was almost identical to the food at lunch, with a few small exceptions (crab legs and shrimp, for example.) The lines were horrendous.

After dinner, we went up to the room and realized that we had left our diaper bag at the buffet. Bobby called down and they located it and gave it to the cashier. Meanwhile, Grant and I were talking to a manager. The manager checked his office but it wasn't there (because it was with the cashier). We tried to explain that to the manager, and although he was very friendly and was trying to be helpful, he was severely overwhelmed by the long lines – the buffet was not set up to handle the crowds there promotions were bringing in (besides the deal we had – free buffets included with the rooms) they also had an all day pass anyone could buy for $30. IN any case, Grant left to drop off Mom and Bobby for he Blue Man Group while I waited around for the manager to call me back to tell me he had located the bag.

Once I got the bag, I went upstairs and waited for Grant. We had a nice evening with Geoffrey. We went to pick up Mom and Bobby from their show, and then went to Wal-mart for drinks and moleskin for blisters. They had some adorable Disney onesies that we got for Mr. Geofferson!

June 21 - Father's Day

Sunday, June 21^st.

Father's Day!

On Sunday, we packed up and moved to the MGM.

First, Geoff and I gave Grant his Father's day present – a picture frame with pictures of Grant and Geoff and a poem from Geoffrey. Then, Geoffrey wished Daddy a Happy Father's Day by spitting up all over Daddy's shorts. With only about 30 minuted left until check out, Grant decided to throw his shorts in the washer and at least get them washed – figuring they could hang dry at the MGM. Unfortunately, he forgot to take his iphone out of his pocket – so he washed his phone too! Of course, it was completely ruined – but at least he still had the accidental insurance, so he was able to get it replaced.

Bobby and Grant loaded the car up with all of our bags and drove over to the MGM, while Mom, Geoff, and I walked and met them there. There was no way we'd all fit in the car with all of our stuff!

We checked into the MGM – one room was ready, so we brought all of our bags in the room. Our room faced South-east, with a view of the airport and Hooters hotel. The room was large and very nice – It has a couch, table, and chair, and a king bed – the room is split into a sitting area and a sleeping area by a large wardrobe / TV chest. The room also has a fridge, a shower with a tub, and a separate shower. We really like it! Mom and Bobby's room is directly across the hall (11306 / 11305). There room faced south west – you could see New York, New York, Excalibur, Luxor, and Mandalay Bay from there room.

We had lunch to celebrate Grant's first Father's Day at Mon Ami Gabi, his favorite restaurant at the Paris hotel. We gave both Bobby and Grant Father's Day cards and enjoyed a lovely meal in the Atrium. Grant and I split the French Onion Soup and an Endive, Blue Cheese and melon salad, and we all split a Pate appetizer. For entrees, Mom had a Spinach salad with Salmon and blueberries, Grant and Bobby had steak and frittes, and I had a fried green tomato grilled cheese sandwich. Delicious!

After lunch, we walked back to MGM, stopping at the Half Price Ticket booth. They had Bette Middler tickets for $64! We didn't think we'd be able to get into the Colosseum for that price, so we decided to get tickets for Mom, Bobby, and me. Later in the week, Grant, Mom, and Bobby would be seeing Phantom, but we decided to get Bette tickets since we'd never seen them for such a reasonable price!

Once we got back to the hotel, Mom and Bobby's room was ready, so we took some time to unpack. Bobby and Grant went to exchange our vouchers for our Bette tickets at Ceasers Palace, and went to the Venetian to get Mom and Bobby's Blue Man Group tickets for Monday night (these are the tickets they got from Dr. Phil.) Then Grant went to replace his iphone.

That night, Daddy and Geoffrey got to spend the evening together, while Mom, Bobby, and I got to see the Divine Miss M in concert! What an amazing experience. Bette Middler! THE Bette Middler! The show was everything I expected – hilarious and beautiful, with great music, great dancing, and comedy in a beautiful theater.

The show started late, and didn't end until 9:30, so we couldn't make it back to our hotel in time for dinner at the buffet. Our package includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the MGM buffet. However, since the buffet closed at 10, we ended up going to The Burger Bar for dinner. Geoff, again, was great, sleeping through most of the meal. He got fussy at the end, because he was pretty hungry, so I left while they paid the bill and fed Geoffrey in the car.

(As a side note – that is the only really difficult part about having Geoff here – it is not a friendly place for nursing at all – hot outside, smoky inside with not a lot of quiet places to sit. Not a surprise, and easy enough to work around – just a comment.)

We joked about what people must think of us walking through the casino at midnight with such a little baby! I am sure there were some that didn't approve. On the other hand, we did see other families out, too! How your perspective changes when you have kiddos of your own, huh?

Saturday, June 20

Saturday, June 20^th

Geoffrey slept well in his pack and play. He did wake up for a night feeding, but considering the heat and how dry it is here in Vegas, I am actually glad he's eating at night to stay hydrated.

We picked up Mom and Bobby from the airport. It was so fun to watch Geoffrey play with Grandma and Grandpa! We went to the Mirage and had lunch at Cravings before heading back to the Marriott.

That night, Geoffrey got to spend the evening with Grandma and Grandpa, while Grant and I went to Bellagio to see Cirque Du Soleil "O," which we had not seen yet. This show is so cool – a traditional Cirque but with an amazing water stage! There were lots of excellent acts, including some great diving acts! We both really enjoyed it!

Geoff had a good time with Grandma and Grandpa. He ate almost 12 ounces when they fed him! He slept well again – waking up for one feeding.

Las Vegas - Geoffrey's First Vacation!

SO - I am way behind on my vacation blogging - 5 days in and I haven't even started! I must say, though, that it is harder now with Geoffrey to find time to sit down and blog. Typically I like to do a big chunk all at once - but I may just have to adjust to blogging about small bits here and there.... Hee hee -

Away we go!

Friday June 19

We left on Friday morning to drive to Vegas. We rented a car from LB airport and were on our way by noon. There was a lot of traffic until we got on the 15, and then it was smooth sailing. We stopped at Barstow for lunch, as well as at a rest stop for some stretching. Geoffrey did well for most of the ride - but towards the end, he couldn't sleep any more and was ready for a change from the car seat and some social time.

We checked into the Marriott Grand Chateau at about 6:00 PM, and we all enjoyed some stretch out time. The room we stayed in was a one bedroom – but it had a very odd lay out and was not an effective use of space. However, we certainly enjoyed the washer and dryer in our room!

After we settled in, we headed back out to dinner. We ate at Grand Lux at the Venetian. Geoff was very good – he slept through most of dinner and was pretty happy when he woke up.

We swung by Wal-mart to get some snackins before heading back to our hotel for the night.