Yes, there really are forty candles on that cupcake.My beloved recently hit a major milestone. Did he hike Mount Everest? Run a marathon? Crack the top ten list of best scores for his World of Warcraft-like iPhone addiction Haypi Kingdom? Nope, nope, and HEEELLLLLL no! He turned 40!
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We started off the celebrating with a birthday lunch at Vince's favorite restaurant Hop Li. We had a terrific time eating Vince's favorite pan friend noodle dish and driving the other diners crazy with the insane amount of noise generated by our party. As raucous as that event was, however, the real celebration got started the following week when...
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We went to Vegas! Given the enormous amount of stuff we had to schlep with us (think baby gear, travel cribs, clothes and all that other jazz), we decided to drive. Judging from the pics above, you'd think it was a peaceful drive. Right? WRONG.
Let me just say that four-and-a-half hours feels like an eternity when there are two screaming kids in the car. Actually, that's not fair. They didn't scream the entire four-and-a-half hours. They did sleep for about 45 minutes.
.
We started off the celebrating with a birthday lunch at Vince's favorite restaurant Hop Li. We had a terrific time eating Vince's favorite pan friend noodle dish and driving the other diners crazy with the insane amount of noise generated by our party. As raucous as that event was, however, the real celebration got started the following week when....
We went to Vegas! Given the enormous amount of stuff we had to schlep with us (think baby gear, travel cribs, clothes and all that other jazz), we decided to drive. Judging from the pics above, you'd think it was a peaceful drive. Right? WRONG. Let me just say that four-and-a-half hours feels like an eternity when there are two screaming kids in the car. Actually, that's not fair. They didn't scream the entire four-and-a-half hours. They did sleep for about 45 minutes.
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It looks like a Chubby Cheek Convention was in town!
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Along with Vince's friend Jeff, we partook in one of the things Vegas is known for - the notorious all-you-can-eat buffet. We settled on the Wicked Spoon, a buffet inside the new Cosmopolitan Hotel. Now, I usually don't like buffets, but I have to say that the Wicked Spoon was wickedly good!
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After wolfing down an obscene amount of food, we tried our luck at the tables, kicked back some drinks, and had a great time. Well, we had as great of a time in Vegas as you can have when you know you have to get up early to deal with this in the morning:
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Vince may look pretty tired in these pics, but I have a feeling that this is the only way he would have wanted to be awakened on the morning of his 40th birthday!
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We had time to kill before meeting up with our friends, so took take a spin on the Monorail. Of all the attractions in Vegas, this was the one that the kids enjoyed the most.
I think Benjamin and Calliope would have been content to just ride the Monorail around and around for the rest of the day, but alas, it wasn't their birthday we were celebrating - it was Vince's. And what did Vince want to do on his big day??
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He wanted to visit the aquarium!
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Is it just me, or does there could be the jaws of a piranha lurking beneath Calliope's jowls?
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That evening after the kids had gone to bed and blessed, blessed babysitter Pamela had shown up, we headed to Mastro's in gorgeous City Center. The food was divine, and we definitely ate our fill of it.
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I can't believe that we managed to finish the free birthday cake they sent our way. Actually, I can believe that. It is our duty as good Chinese Vegas-goers to enjoy every free perk that gets tossed our way. In any case, the cake was delicious, as was the filet mignon. And the soup I had before that. And the salad before that. And the shrimp cocktail before that. And the bread I had before that. And the wine before that. Whoa. I guess it's no surprise that I put on four pounds in the course of the evening. In case you're wondering, yes, I did indeed weigh myself before and after our dinner out. And after seeing the hard evidence I'd eaten four pounds worth of food and drink, I would've high-fived myself, except that I was afraid the sudden movement might've caused my belly to rupture. Note to self: the human stomach is not designed to hold four pounds of food.
Yup, the Monorail. Again!
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All in all, the Vegas trip was a lot of fun, though I think some of us had more fun than others. Calliope had a great time. Unfortunately, the Boo didn't seem to enjoy himself as much. I think that Vegas was just too much for him. Just look at how sad he looks here:
I guess that when he's still getting carded at the tables and everywhere else, he can still get away with it! 
We made it to Vegas with the last shreds of our sanity and headed straight to the Bellagio to unwind by the big tacky lake.
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Later on, we met up with Vince's good friends Jeff and Brenda and their daughter Mia.
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Later on, we met up with Vince's good friends Jeff and Brenda and their daughter Mia..
It looks like a Chubby Cheek Convention was in town!.
Vince and I were wise enough to hire a sitter both evenings we were in Vegas. We went with Grandma Dotti's, a service recommended to us by our friends the Bowens. They sent an amazing woman named Pamela to our hotel room. As soon as she arrived the first night, Vince and I headed out so fast we left a vapor trail behind us.
.
Along with Vince's friend Jeff, we partook in one of the things Vegas is known for - the notorious all-you-can-eat buffet. We settled on the Wicked Spoon, a buffet inside the new Cosmopolitan Hotel. Now, I usually don't like buffets, but I have to say that the Wicked Spoon was wickedly good!.
After wolfing down an obscene amount of food, we tried our luck at the tables, kicked back some drinks, and had a great time. Well, we had as great of a time in Vegas as you can have when you know you have to get up early to deal with this in the morning:
.
Vince may look pretty tired in these pics, but I have a feeling that this is the only way he would have wanted to be awakened on the morning of his 40th birthday!.
We had time to kill before meeting up with our friends, so took take a spin on the Monorail. Of all the attractions in Vegas, this was the one that the kids enjoyed the most.I think Benjamin and Calliope would have been content to just ride the Monorail around and around for the rest of the day, but alas, it wasn't their birthday we were celebrating - it was Vince's. And what did Vince want to do on his big day??
.
He wanted to visit the aquarium!.
Is it just me, or does there could be the jaws of a piranha lurking beneath Calliope's jowls?.
That evening after the kids had gone to bed and blessed, blessed babysitter Pamela had shown up, we headed to Mastro's in gorgeous City Center. The food was divine, and we definitely ate our fill of it..
I can't believe that we managed to finish the free birthday cake they sent our way. Actually, I can believe that. It is our duty as good Chinese Vegas-goers to enjoy every free perk that gets tossed our way. In any case, the cake was delicious, as was the filet mignon. And the soup I had before that. And the salad before that. And the shrimp cocktail before that. And the bread I had before that. And the wine before that. Whoa. I guess it's no surprise that I put on four pounds in the course of the evening. In case you're wondering, yes, I did indeed weigh myself before and after our dinner out. And after seeing the hard evidence I'd eaten four pounds worth of food and drink, I would've high-fived myself, except that I was afraid the sudden movement might've caused my belly to rupture. Note to self: the human stomach is not designed to hold four pounds of food..
The next morning, we wanted to get on the road and head home as soon as possible, but the kids wanted to check out one last attraction:
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Awwww! Why so sad, Boo? Is it the noise of Vegas? The crowds? The tacky fake gondolas? Is it the fact that even a 40th birthday can't stop your Daddy from shopping at Ed Hardy?
Awwww! Why so sad, Boo? Is it the noise of Vegas? The crowds? The tacky fake gondolas? Is it the fact that even a 40th birthday can't stop your Daddy from shopping at Ed Hardy?.
I guess that when he's still getting carded at the tables and everywhere else, he can still get away with it! .
Happy 40th Birthday, my love. You don't look a day over something considerably less than 40! ;)
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