Vegas, Baby…!

Since both of my sons were born in Vegas, sayings like, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!” and “Vegas, Baby…!!” have waaaay different meanings to me and Mark.

All the stars were aligned: There was the “way too high to bring the family” airfare and Mark didn’t have work for the week and could stay home and watch the boys. That meant  Mommy was going to work in Vegas for a week…ALL BY HERSELF!!! Now, don’t get me wrong…I love my husband and my boys and I was going to miss them dearly. BUT, a week alone to sleep the entire night without having my “Mommy ears” on. Mommy ears. That’s when, no matter how tired you are, you always have one ear open to listen for crying, choking and abductions.  A week alone to shower. Really shower. Not the 3 minute, baby monitor on the floor, 4 year old screaming, “Mommy, I have to go poop!” kind of shower I usually get. The kind of shower I would take before I was blessed with dependants. The “leave the conditioner in for 30 minutes while I shave and exfoliate every part of my body that sticks out of my clothes” kind of shower. {sigh} An entire week to catch up on my magazine subscriptions. I actually teared up when I realized I was bringing magazines from 2005. How sad is that? An entire week of hitting the thrift stores. Actually “hitting” the thrift stores is what I do now. That’s when you have 15 mins. tops. Put both kids in the cart. Go directly to the toy section and give them anything that has bright, shiny parts and moves. Now, race up and down the isles, grabbing anything that’s in your size. Check out, hopefully, before the tantrum. I was going to spend days in the Vegas Thrift stores. I was going to look at EVERYTHING in the store, try half of it on and buy everything that fit.

After a week like that, I would be a better Mom and wife. A rejuvinated Mom. A happy-to-play-star-wars-for-the-umpteenth-time Mom. All that rest and leisure would do wonders for me…not to mention the Mom-guilt. How can I refuse anyone in my family  ANYTHING (if you get my drift) after that kind of indulgence masquerading as “my job”.

The other cool thing about Vegas is that I have so many friends there. Most of my closest friends, in fact. I got to hang with them the entire week. “You’re different” one of them said to me after the first day. “No, not different” she corrected herself, “you’re the old you. The one we knew way back when.” I knew what she was talking about. I was present. I actually got to look her in the eye when she talked. I wasn’t talking to her while shoving food in the baby’s mouth and cleaning crayon off the restaurant’s wall.

At the last minute, (when she heard there would be no kids) my Mom decided to come to Vegas with me.  A “Just the girls” week she called it. I didn’t blame her. Every time my Mom has come to Vegas with me, it was to watch the boys when I was performing at night. She never got to “do Vegas” as a single woman, only as a Grandma. And besides that, my Mom is fun to hang out with. She’s a killer thrift shopper from way-back and all my friends love her! (more than me most days)

One of my dearest friends in Vegas is Carl. Not only is he the manager of the Improv Comedy Club, he’s the lighting and sound engineer, audio engineer and editor of my second CD,  my son Nate’s Godfather, a juggler, a student AND a Yoga Master/teacher!  Since I was having my calming, centering, showering week in Vegas, I asked Carl if he would show me some Yoga. He graciously agreed. Not only did he “show me some Yoga”, but he gave me 2 full blown private Yoga classes! Heaven! NOW I understand why celebrities pay for the private classes. The first class was private, the second one was a semi-private. We were joined by my new pal, Kenny Kane. Kenny was working with me at the Improv all week and we became fast friends. Let me just say that having 2 comics take a Yoga class together was making Carl feel like a kindergarten teacher. Lots of whispering, giggling and Darth Vader breathing.

Turns out, I LOVE Yoga! Any exercise that lets you rest on the floor in “Child’s Pose” gets my vote every time. My goal is to make Yoga my main source of exercise (second to running after the boys). Now my only problem is…how do I get Carl and his wife to move to FL?

So, now I’m back home. And I was right…I AM a better Mom and wife. I’m doing all the same things I was before but with a great big smile on my face. “Mommy?” Nate asked “Is your peace-flame really high?” “Yes it is Nate.” I smiled at him. “Good.” he smiled back. “I love you.” he sang while hugging me tight. Wow. Out of the mouths of Babes…