Living Las Vegas

You cannot be indifferent to Las Vegas - you either love it or hate it. I happen to be a big fan of this one of a kind world-famous city standing in the middle of the dessert as a monument to what a homo sapience can do when he puts his mind and strength to good use.

Before I had kids I traveled to Vegas often. I loved to walk along the strip, and I could easily walk from Luxor (Mandalay Bay wasn't built yet) to Stardust (which was still standing tall) even on a hot day, admiring giant hotels, each having their own personality. I was impressed to see the Egyptian pyramid, Monte Carlo, San Remo, Paris, New York, etc. - all in one place. I love to gamble, but I gamble for fun, not to win. I could sit at a black jack table all night with only $40 at my disposal. I could afford to loose $40, too, because hotels were cheap and the food was cheap. A bloody mary would cost you $4, the same as a breakfast buffet.

That was then. Last time I traveled to Vegas was 7 years ago. Until last week. I came to Vegas to find that my favorite city is all changed.

Gone are the colorful parrots in Tropicana. The volcano in front of the Mirage no longer erupts. The pirates are banished from Treasure Island, just as Wizard of Oz figures from MGM. The roman gods in Cesar's Palace don't talk anymore. Almost all the free entertainment that Las Vegas still had 7 years ago is now gone. Instead, majestic giants such as Belagio, Mandalay Bay, Venetian, and the latest magic - Wynn - are now homes to the world's most expensive shopping malls and restaurants. Las Vegas is now a playground for millionaires.

The price of everything in Vegas has skyrocketed. But despite that, Las Vegas continues to impress adults and children alike.

Before I ventured to take my kids to Vegas, many warned me that there is nothing to do in Vegas for kids, that they would be bored and our trip would be a disaster. It turned out not to be the case at all. I didn't gamble this time, because with current minimum black jack bet, my $40 would be gone in a minute. Instead, we went to Mandalay Bay aquarium, which was great. We saw a magic show, which is always a hit with kids. We went on a gondola ride in Venetian. We wondered around MGM, glanced at the lions, and generally marveled at the size of this world's second largest hotel. It is so big it needs its own public transportation running inside. We visited other hotels, too, and argued which one was the best. We thought that Luxor was the most original one, MGM was the biggest, Mandalay Bay had the best swimming pool, and Circus-Circus had the most entertainment for kids. Because I had my kids with me, I didn't much miss Las Vegas of 7 years ago, which I definitely would without the kids.

Making time for myself

I was talking to one of my former classmates on http://www.odnoklassniki.ru/, telling her all about my life (we haven't spoken for almost 20 years). I was telling her how I spend most of my time with kids, and she said: "That's good, but do you have any time for yourself?" This question puzzled me. I thought about it, and answered that the time that I spend with kids IS the time for myself, because I enjoy it so much. And she said that I have to reconsider it, because "the kids grow up, you know." She knows about it better then I do - her son is 15. As for me, I don't think about it much yet, because this thought scares me.
Sure, I could easily take an exercise or yoga class, leaving the kids at the gym daycare, but I'd rather drive the kids to their activities and watch them learn and enjoy new things. In the evening I could read a grown-up book, but I'd rather snuggle with my son in his bed and read Greek myths or Shakespeare fairytales. I could find my own hobby, but I'd rather talk to my kids about different topics that interest them. Me and my husband very rarely spend evenings out, because even if we had a reliable babysitter, I like putting my kids into beds myself. And of course we could go on a "grown-up" vacation, leaving the kids with grandparents, but we never do that, ever. We tried, but our conversation always revolved around kids, and I didn't enjoy a vacation as much without them. It's much more interesting for me to go with kids, see how they react to new things, how they adopt to the new environments, what they like or dislike. I see the world through their eyes, and it's so much more interesting.
Well, so much for the time for myself. Truthfully, when the kids were babies and required my attention every minute, I used to crave some free time - to go shopping, read a book, or just go for a walk. But now, when kids are in school for much of the day, I don't crave that time anymore. I spend my "free" time cooking, cleaning and grocery shopping, waiting impatiently for the kids to come home so I can do things with them. Because time I spend with them is also the time for myself.
Is that healthy? Probably not - every "relationship" book will tell you that you need some time for yourself and some time alone with your spouse to keep yourself and your relationship strong. I wonder why I don't need that.
Before I had a family, I had many chances to have "time for myself" - many more chances that I actually needed. Growing up as an only child meant spending many boring hours by myself. Leaving my home for another country meant leaving my friends at home, and again, spending time wondering on the street, or in the mall, or simply staying home - alone. And I am not the kind of person who enjoys loneliness. I guess I've had enough time for myself before I had kids. But there is another reason. We are all growing older. Many people don't mind it, but I am struggling with this. Spending time with my kids means I can do "kid" things again and again - read a children's book, take a walk in the rain, play at a toy store. I'll have plenty of time to be by myself when my kids grow older and don't want to play with me anymore. And this is a very sad thought for me.