May 2007 Archives

I'm heading back from Vegas and have mixed feelings about the trip. I discovered Vegas isn't my scene. The first two days were fun but the third and fourth were boring. Both Michelle and I weren't winning anything on the machines so we didn't want to give them anymore money.

The best thing about the trip was just getting away from the daily routine and being able to sit and hang out with Michelle. We went to the Cirque du Soleil show O at the Bellagio. Everything that I heard about the show was true. The show last an hour and a half but it seemed like it was only ten minutes. I think there was a storyline but I didn't get it. It was amazing what these people were doing. The show was a mix of acrobatics and diving. We liked it so much we wet out the next day to see if the day of ticket sellers had tickets available to any of the other Cirque shows. Unfortunately it was Memorial day and many of the shows were dark.

Vegas seemed very different from the last time we were there. We went for spring break four or five years ago. Previously there were tons of people handing out fliers of various adult clubs, but this time around you were hassled by people trying to get you to go on a tour of timeshare properties owned by the casinos. In return for going on the tour you were offered tickets, dinner vouchers, t-shirts, or a combination of the above. The easiest way to have them quit talking to you is to say you are leaving today. Once they hear this they move on to the next person.

I didn't remember Vegas tourists being so annoying last time. We ran into a couple different types of tourists. There are the wanders and the walls. Each were almost impossible to get around.

The wanders were usually made of up small number of people. The difficulty with getting around the wanderers was that the would anticipate your path around them. As you made your move one of the group would a move to block you. This would be repeated another two or three times as you continued to try to manage your way around them.

The walls were the other distinct group. Unlike the wanderers, the walls were made up of large number of people. The mode of attack of the walls is to move quickly to the center of traffic and then abruptly stop. They are extremely hazardous around restaurant and casino entrances. The shear numbers that made up the walls made getting past them difficult. A significant detour is needed to pass them.

These tourists and the losing at the casinos didn't make me want to return to Vegas anytime soon. I think the perfect Vegas trip would be a three day trip and a show.

I can't wait to get back and see Aves. It seems like I haven't seem him forever. I kept being reminded of him during the trip. A kid throwing a toy out of a stroller, a crying baby when the mom tells them no, etc. I won't be able to see him tonight because we are getting in at 10 pm. We will see him when he gets up at 6 tomorrow morning. I'm so excited to see his smiles, pick him up, and hug him.

It's official I feel old. The highlight of my week has been getting a new washing machine. Michelle and I known that we needed to replace our washing machine since we moved in. The machine always was wet underneath and had rust stains underneath it. I did my usual research before any major purchase. This consisted of scouring the internet for reviews. There wasn't much out there since it seems that the internet is only good for electronics and other gadgets. I headed over to Consumer Reports website and found that they did have a recent report. To access the full report, you had have a subscription to the magazine. The other option was to sign up for an online account. Unfortunately, both of these were more than I wanted to pay. I found out that my library card allowed me to access an electronic copy of the magazine. With this new information in hand, Michelle and I went out shopping. We had a couple requirements in the new washer. We wanted to have a front loader with a stainless tub. We also wanted a pedestal since the front loaders are low to the ground. What little I did find on the internet was the pedestal was a must have. With these requirements this washer was going to be pricey. Michelle and I headed out last weekend to see what the local stores had.

Our first stop was at Lowes. With my trusty print out we walked the aisles of washers. There were Samsung and Fridaire, both that weren't listed in my report. I was looking for a Whirlpool that was one of the picks, but it appeared Lowed didn't have it. When we walked down the clearance aisle I saw that they had a couple Whirlpool machines. I take a look at the sign and compare numbers and see that this was the pick I was looking for. It was $200 off retail which I thought was decent. I wasn't expecting to get a great deal. We weren't intending to buy, but we started talking with saleswoman in the appliance area. I asked about how many they had in stock and how delivery work. As she was looking up the stock, she mentioned that since this item was on clearance and they weren't going to get anymore in-stock they are taking 40% off the clearance price. This brought the $1300 washing machine down to $650. At this price, we couldn't pass this up. We were able to get the washer, pedestal, delivery, warranty extension, and tax all for less than that clearance price. We passed on the dryer because it was replaced a few years ago by the previous owner.

The washer got delivered on Tuesday afternoon and I have been washing since. I do agree that the pedestal is a need for the front loading machines. The thing spins super fast and the clothes come out damp at worst. It takes less than 40 minutes in the dryer. It used to take over an hour.

This is why I'm old. I am like a little kid with a new toy, but the new toy is a washing machine.

After composing the first draft of this post I accidentally hit the wrong button on my phone which deleted everything I had written.

I now understand how people say that time flies when you have kids. Aves is going to be a year old in just over one month. It seems like just yesterday Michelle and I were walking down to the nursery to check on the little guy under the UV lights and worrying about him eating. We got so excited when he drank half an ounce. Now he drinks that much in just one gulp.

Something he has taken a liking to lately is screaming at the top of his lungs when we put him down to bed at night. When I say screaming, I mean the screaming until he's red in the face with tears streaming. Michelle said that it is emotionally draining listening to him scream but I never felt that drain until last night. Most nights Michelle does the bedtime routine, but last night I did it. I took the little man back to his room and gave him his nuk. I read him a couple books and I felt him slowly reclining in my arms. I forgot what it was like to hold a baby that wasn't always squirming in your arms trying to get down. It is great holding him and knowing that he is content laying on you. He was on the verge of falling asleep so I thought I should get him in his crib. As I was standing up, Avery started screaming at the top of his lungs (still with the nuk in his mouth, he's that talented). He knew where the next stop was. I wish I could continue holding him and comfort him. But I knew I couldn't do that because we would end up doing it every night. So I placed him in his crib, turned on his mobile and covered him in a blanket. I felt like a horrible parent leaving him screaming and crying in his crib.

On the flip side of that, Avery has started being vocal. He watches Michelle or me leave the room. He will then start yelling as if he is saying "Hey, where you going?" Then he'll start crawling in the direction that you left. If you wait in the room you'll hear him army crawling his way towards you. When he finally catches up with you, he'll flash a huge smile and then reach up to you. Once you pick him up he'll jam his head into your shoulder. The best thing is when he does his head jam and then wraps his arms around your neck to give you a hug. You can't help but wrap your arms around him and never want to let go.

The ten ton of red limestone has been moved! With help from my in-laws, my brother and sister-in- law, ande my wife we were able to get the rock moved in about three and a half hours. The yard looks real good now with the rock. We no longer have empty patches of dirt with random weeds popping through. Michelle and I spent every night this past week out in the yard prepping for the rock. She and I are completely exhausted and plan on doing absolutely on Sunday.