Circus Circus part 2: THE ARRIVAL

If you're just tuning in, I encourage you to read part 1.

For those of you who are with me, welcome back. First of all, I hate to disappoint you all who thought Teddy got left behind. He didn't. He was always in Colin's grasp. It's just that that didn't seem like a major point considering what a big deal it was letting him have his Pi all the way there. See, we had finally gotten back to bedtime Pi only, well mostly. So I knew up front that letting him have his Pi out of the bed was going to be something I would pay for later. But so as to not completely disappoint you, Teddy did go through his own traumatic experience that I'll get to later.

So, we got on the road. It turned out to be a very uneventful trip, THANK GOODNESS. We rolled into Vegas around 3PM. Four hours on the dot with one pee stop. We didn't stop to eat but snacked plenty and It was perfect. Colin did great with his movies. I listened to my iPod w/ one ear out so I could hear the world. We didn't have any traffic. Traveled along at 75 mph most of the way.

What I did notice as we went along is that the closer we got to Vegas, the more people started to drive with a google-eyed I'm gonna win, get laid, get drunk, see T&A, shop, win, win, win kind of crap. It was amazing. All of a sudden, 75 mph was turtle speed and I was causing havoc trying to just go the speed limit. I wanted to tell them all that the little saying "What happens in Vegas..." isn't true and what happens just happens and yes, it will leave Vegas and everyone you think you'll never tell, will find out and if you're really planning to screw up your life, you should've just stayed home to do that. It would be a lot cheaper. But I didn't think anyone would listen and who am I to say what will and won't screw up your life?

So we arrive at the Condos. The Condo belongs to my Aunt and Uncle and we're going to stay with them for the weekend. I call Mom and she and my Aunt Judy and Uncle John had just finished eating the buffet at the Bellagio. Let's just say that when you eat any buffet, you're really full. But the Bellagio buffet is something you'll never forget. It gives new definition to gluttony and your eyes are ever bigger than your stomach. This little point is something I need you to remember as we get closer to "dinner time." Mom, Katreena, John and Judy are on their way back to the condo and will be there soon. She encouraged me to go ahead and "check in" and they were expecting us and would have a key for us.

So, Colin and I pull up to the front and park. I talk Colin into giving up his Pi as we go in to register. This was no easy task as he had now been sucking on it for around 6 hours except for when he was eating a snack. But just like any addiction, it tasted better than food so he hadn't eaten much. We went in. He charmed the women at the counter. We peed. We figured out where to go to get in the room. As we got back in the car, Colin immediately put his pi back in his mouth. I thought to myself, "I've got to confiscate that thing or I'm in so much trouble." And call it whatever you want, I did not want to hear what my mother, my aunt or my uncle would have to say to me if when the first time they see him he says hello with a dangling pi. So as we pull up to the parking space, Uncle John pulls in right behind me. I get out and start to let Colin out. I gently talk him out of the pi so he could go play with Katreena. "You don't need your pi right now. Let's just save it for night-night time." Gratefully, he said, "Okay, Mom.", and handed it over. I put it in my purse. Tiny little miracle. God was being gracious. He knew what was coming. The war was still brewing, stirring, gathering strength. It was far from over.

We got settled and it was a beautiful sunny afternoon in Vegas and it seemed like a good idea to go swimming. Aunt Judy and Uncle John had to leave the reunion a day early so they decided to go visit some people instead and Mom and Katreena stayed with us. The four of us went swimming. It was a great time. They had a great pool and a hot tub and we spent a lot of time in both. Around 6PM, we decided it was probably time to go in, get cleaned up and get some dinner. Remember, Colin and I are the only ones hungry but still, we needed to eat something.

We get the kids back to the room, give Colin and Katreena a bath. Colin was willing to take a bath but didn't want to wash his hair and if you think I was going to go through the morning scenario again, you're crazy. I was content to not wash his hair for the next three days. Got them out, got them dressed. Then it was my turn to get cleaned up. Around then Aunt Judy and Uncle John came back. I ask if they're hungry. No. No one is hungry but Colin and me. Okay. Let me get cleaned up and we'll make a plan. Now, Mom never goes anywhere without her own food if she can so she had a few things to choose from but I knew that Colin was going to eat only two things: a quesadilla or McDs. There was nothing to make a quesadilla so we agreed that we would walk to the McDs. on the strip. At this point, I'm still in a wet swimsuit. Because of the late hour, I decide to forgo a shower and just change clothes. While I'm talking to the adults, Colin has found his Teddy and blanket. He looks tired and would be content to just go to bed with some milk. But we had made the plan to go eat and I was sticking to the plan.

I go into the bathroom, shut the door, lock the door. (I don't ever lock a door around Colin). I could hear him asking for me. I hear mom say, "She's in the bathroom. She'll be out in just a minute." Colin is not okay with this. He begins to open the door. It's locked. He freaks out. Now, this is an old condo. In fact they're going to implode the whole thing and build again down the street a block because the Harrah Casino / Hotel wants the property for a parking lot. So when Colin pulls the door, it moves but doesn't open. He's yelling for me. I'm yelling back, "Just a minute. I'll be out in a minute." "Mommy...let me in!" "Just a minute Colin." "Let me in!" pull pull pull pull, bang, bang, bang. And then I hear Aunt Judy's voice. Little note about Anut Judy. You don't mess with Aunt Judy. You don't cross her. You do what you're told. It's not up for negotiation or discussion. This is the Aunt Judy I grew up with and this is the voice I'm hearing now. "You stop that right now! STOP pulling on that door. Your mommy will be out in just a minute." "Mommy....let me in!!!" "Stop that, I said. Stop that right now!" moment...."Now, you just sit there until your mommy gets out."

I open the door with caution. Not sure what just happened other than my son was in trouble with Aunt Judy and rightfully so. He was sitting in a chair with his Teddy and his blanket crying and asking for his Pi. Begging for his Pi. I look at Aunt Judy, and let her know that she was right to discipline him and tried to survey the situation. My sense of what is right and good and what a good mother should do was fuzzy with exhaustion, hunger, anger, frustration, and superiority. I'm tired of hearing about the Pi. I'm a little angry at Aunt Judy for being so hard on him. I'm embarrassed that the first time in almost a year my mother sees Colin he's acting like a spoiled brat. I feel bad for the people in the other condos who might be trying to have a vacation. I can't believe that we still have to go eat in Vegas no less. I'm not sure what to do to make it better and not sure I can. I would've given anything at that moment to be home. Can I just say that the Devil himself was taking over my body? The Devil had arrived and he came in with a look on his face that will not soon be forgotten.

....to be continued.