Baby's First Vacation

Moab April 2010
This past weekend we went to Moab. It was baby's first vacation and so much fun. I learned two things though about vacationing with a baby: 1. It is much like traveling with a rock star (he had four bags, plus his pack n' play, stroller, car seat and other odds and ends while Hubs and I crammed all of our stuff into one bag!), and 2. It is a lot of work! But I had a great time. It was good to just get away from the house work, the cooking, and the day-to-day stuff and to have an adventure. Baby S was such a trooper. He pretty much slept the entire long drive to Moab. He was great at adjusting to being in a new environment. He kept his routines and went to bed at the hotel just as he does at home. We got to Moab Friday evening, had dinner at one of our favorite places in Moab (Moab Diner), and then went in search of our hotel. We were there with some friends and ended up staying in a really, really nice place called Red Cliff Lodge. It was late when we got there, so I couldn't see much of the scenery but the sky was crystal clear and glimmering with thousands of stars. In the morning, I got up and went out on our patio (yes, we had a patio, along with a small kitchen and sitting area). The scenery was spectacular!
Here are some pictures from the lodge:







They had horses! I love horses! Next time we're definitely going to play city slickers and go for a horse ride!
Baby and me on the patio:

Saturday morning we got up and went jeeping. It was good to be out in the old, yellow jeep again. With Hubs being in school, it has been awhile since we've played! It was a nice, easy trail (compared to what Hubs has taken me on before) and good starter trail for the baby. We were with a group of people, most of whom had never been jeeping before and were driving rentals. The destination was Top of the World.
Baby S mostly slept the entire time!

Though he woke up occasionally to eat...

And to pose and be adorable for the camera. Basically, it was business as usual!

Here's the view from on Top of the World. It was so incredible! Pictures don't do it credit! And let me put a little political plug in here: It will be really sad if the government decides to zone all of these areas as wilderness instead of public-access. People will miss out on some beautiful places! I think for the most part, jeepers and four-wheel drivers are very responsible and take good care of the trails because they appreciate what's out there and want to keep it beautiful. (Okay, Pres. Obama?) =) Okay, enough of my political soap box, here's the picture!

And here's our family Moab picture (if only Gimli and Gus had been there, it would have been the perfect family picture! ):

It was a little windy up there, so I guess Baby S was worried about his hat blowing away?! =)

Me driving! Good thing there were no pedestrians (I don't think there were, anyway)!

This is Hubs pretending not to be worried about my driving!
Our friends, Clay and Drew.
Baby S was picking up on girls even up here! He is such a flirt!

After we got back to the lodge, Baby and I decided to call it a day. Hubs and his buddies decided to go hit some more trails. Baby S and I lounged around, went for a walk, took more pictures, and had a DELICIOUS dinner at the restaurant the lodge with our friends, Leigh, Max, and Leigh's parents. Then Sunday it was time to come home and crash! Vacations are fun but exhausting! But as far as first vacations go, I think it was a huge success!
Out on a walk.
My little rock star! Uncle Clay gave him this cute Metallica onesie!


Baby S digs the hotel life. Here he is lounging on the bed after a nice warm bath!
Daddy and his boy in their hats!
Hangin' out with the Duke! Apparently, a lot of movies have been shot in this area, including a few with John Wayne, Back to the Future III, City Slickers II, and Thelma and Louise.