Noah and I recently drove up to Albuquerque to visit my brother, Ryan. He surprised us and told us we were going to go to Las Vegas!!! I had no idea! So, we packed up the car and were off to Las Vegas! We arrived about 1 a.m. Ryan had booked a room at the Mirage. It was beautiful! Unfortunately, Ryan also had to go to the hospital that night due to a kidney stone. Noah was a trooper and slept on me the whole night in the emergency room waiting room. Ryan got some relief from medication and was able to get out at about 8 a.m. We rested and Ryan was ready to go to Caesar's Palace that evening. We had dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. It's one of my favorite places-Paradise Tea, crispy chicken costaletta, and Godiva cheesecake! What's not to like? Noah loved the enormous aquarium he could see from our table. He'd rather watch the fish, than eat!
For our 4th Anniversary, we went to Ruidoso, NM. We stayed at the Inn of the Mountain gods. We had a great time. Our room overlooked the lake surrounded by the mountains. 
Noah has 4 swimming lessons "under his belt!" The class is for 3 to 5 year olds. He turns 3 in 1 month so I put him in this class. I wondered if it would be too much seeing as how parents don't get in the pool, too. The teachers at the YWCA are really great and patient. There are 9 students and 2 teachers. Each teacher takes a child one at a time and works on a particular skill. Noah has done very well entertaining himself in the water when it's not his turn.
The first day of class, the teacher wanted him to jump to her (which he wouldn't do), blow bubbles in the water (which he wouldn't do), and kick his legs (which he did). That afternoon, I took him back to the pool (which is outside, the "teaching pool" is small and inside) to have fun and try some of those skills. He learned to blow bubbles, jump from the side without holding my fingers, being "Spiderman" on the wall, etc...It was exciting to see him try and have fun. I couldn't wait for the next day so he could show his teachers what he could do.
Guess what, Day #2 Lessons: He had fun, but he didn't do any of the things we practiced! He told his teacher, "I can only blow bubbles in the outside pool with Mama!"
Well, we've finished 4 lessons now. He will jump to the teacher but still refuses to blow bubbles. Too funny! I do know the important thing is to have fun in the water and learn a little bit about swimming.
When we were getting ready to walk out our door this morning, he announced, "I packed my sunglasses!"
I love how he knows so much about traveling! He's my little traveler & always has been. He took his 1st big trip at 5 weeks old & his first plane ride (from El Paso to LAX) at 3 months old, and hasn't turned back since!
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During 4th of July fireworks, he kept yelling out, "Disneyland!"
Then tonight, as he was playing in his diner, he made me some coffee. He asked if I wanted ice cream. When I said I did, he told me I had to go potty first!
