It was the best of times and it was over all too quickly. It had been far too long since we visited Vegas (last September) and we made up for it with four days of fun and frivolity. We flew in early on Thursday morning and met John to pick up Samantha. We were able to get an early check-in at Circus Circus and we were in and off to the pool by late morning. Samantha made a couple of fast friends at the pool, one of which was a four year old from Oklahoma that at one point asked Sam if her Mom could take pictures of them together. The little girl had an older sister with her who looked to be about 16 or 17 and when she brought out the camera and started taking pictures, Darla and I were amazed. The young girl WAS the mother! We met the father, who was about thirty. We also kept a close eye on him the rest of the afternoon as he apparently likes young girls. Jeesh.
That afternoon we cleaned up and went out to dinner at the Deli at the Circus Circus, and then took Sam up to watch the circus acts and to have some fun at the midway. I was able to pound hard enough with a rubber mallet to send a rubber chicken through the air and into a pot on a rotating base and win her a small stuffed snake. We let her ride the rides and play some of the video games, one of which had Samantha and Darla riding a motorcycle through the streets of Los Angeles. Samantha was tired that night and we let her watch a cartoon of Curious George and she was fast asleep by nine. Jennifer's plane came in at 11:15 and I was off at 10:30 PM to meet it, but got turned the wrong way on Industrial Avenue and never did find the I-15 freeway, instead backtracking to Las Vegas Boulevard and getting stuck in the world's biggest traffic jam before finally getting to the airport at 11:30. Jennifer was amused by my story of trying to find the freeway and getting utterly lost.
Friday, we were up pretty early and off to the Black Bear Diner with Jen and Sam. It is the first restaurant that Sam ever went to as a baby and we make sure to go there every time we are in town. From there it was back to the hotel and another day at the pool. Friday was 98 degrees, Saturday 102 degrees and Sunday topped out at 106 degrees. Yes, we were in the desert.
Friday night was Sam's Day Care graduation and we had her over to the school by 5:30 to get dressed in her cap and gown. She was the smallest one there and her gown dragged the ground where most of the kids were at mid calf. There were 12 graduates and they sang four songs, recited the pledge of allegiance and all got there diplomas. It was very cute and I'm glad we got to be a part of it. John was there with his mom and step dad and we all got along okay. Sam was happy to have her Mom and Dad both there to share in her day. Afterward, we went to Chinatown in Vegas and had Korean barbecue at Mothers, a great place that we have been to twice with Jennifer. Good food and a nice hibachi grill at your table.
Saturday, we were up fairly early and off to Karate. Sam was cranky and didn't want to go to her class and really lost it when we stopped at Burger King instead of McDonald's for breakfast. She got over it, ate some food (fuel) and then was great at karate. She was the highest belt there for the first ten minutes, but then some of the older kids showed up and her red belt was trumped by yellow. She is very good and pays attention to her Sensei and really does her moves clearly and correctly. She even had a one on one with another smaller boy in the class and knocked him out of his stance and won the match. She lost to a bigger boy first, but was beaming when she won. The class is well done and both of her instructors preach discipline and focus to the class and most of the kids respond. There was one bonehead in there that kept trying to leave the room to get to his father and the Sensei's were all over him. It was fun. We went from there to the pool.
Saturday night we had dinner at Maggiano's Little Italy on the strip. Sam was a little cranky again before dinner and I think she really feels the separation from her Mom and acts out a little bit. She pulled it together and had a nice dinner. We even had the guitar player play "When you wish upon a star" for her. It was a fun night.
Sunday, we talked to the hotel staff and got an extended check-out and were able to stay in the hotel until 6 PM for $20. We used the pool after going to a late breakfast at the Egg and I in Vegas. It was a wonderful little coffee shop packed fifteen deep with people waiting to get in. It is a big place with indoor and outdoor seating. It was 106 degrees Sunday and we lucked into an inside table. We had dinner at the Grill in Circus Circus and Darla and Jennifer used the Aqua Massage tables before dinner. We had a 9:10 flight that night that kept changing. I got a call in the morning that it was delayed to 9:45, then a call that it was back at 9:10 and a third text that it was now 10:05 PM. We did take off at 10:05, but not until we drove out to John's to drop Sam off and she took us on a tour of her room, the garden in the back and her turtle cage. She was so proud and then the water works came as we had to leave. She pleaded with Jennifer to come with her to California and poor John had to hold her as we drove away.
Jen knows that she has to find a solution to her situation. She has a GREAT job, but she is away from her daughter who needs her now more than ever and it is really hurting both of them deeply . Jennifer was really emotional in the car and has come to hate everything about Vegas and just wants Sam in California. John won't allow that, so it is an impasse of mega proportions. We'll see how it plays out, but it is very emotionally draining.
Well, on that upbeat note, I wish you all a great week. Be good to each other and say a prayer for Samantha and Jennifer. Ciao.
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