Happy New Year!

 HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

2014 is Camden's birth year and it's going to be the best year ever! 

Charlie and Jenn were in town from South Carolina so we knew we wanted to spend New Years Eve with them. We had been trying to figure out what we were going to do and nobody had any good ideas. Finally, Jenn came up with the crazy idea to go to the casino. When Charlie told me I said "let's go!" and he was shocked. He didn't think I would want to go. I knew Mark wouldn't argue with a chance to gamble so I told him we're all in and wanna go.

Mark had orientation for his new job that day and got home around 4:00. I tried to take a nap but couldn't fall asleep. I was mad at myself because I was already sleepy before 6pm and knew we had a long night ahead of us. So, I started getting ready soon after since we were meeting there around 8:00. We picked up Tommy and Shannon on the way (I offered to be DD but Mark ended up driving anyway). I wanted to drink soda or something to wake me up but that would make my bladder miserable on the ride up so I just toughed it out and tried to stay awake. 

When we got to Maryland Live! Casino it was nearly impossible to find Charlie and Jenn so we ate dinner at Phillips Seafood Buffet and then eventually met up with them. Jenn's parents, Shannon, Joe, and Dillan were all there too. When Allison and Tony arrived, we met up with them too. 

I had bad luck from the start. I put a $20 in a penny slot and within 5 minutes my $20 was down to $0! I was depressed that it took my money that fast and didn't want to gamble anymore. When we were moving from one area to the other it was like we were an elementary class walking from the classroom to the cafeteria. Charlie was the line leader and I was the caboose. They walked way too fast for my pregnant feet and it was nearly impossible to keep up with them. The place was hot and my feet were swollen, like always.

11:30 rolls around and I'm dying of thirst. We tried to get a drink from the waitresses who were walking around but that wasn't easy. Then we went to the bar and there was a super long line, annoying! I just wanted some water or a coke. Finally, after waiting at the bar for about 10 minutes, Tommy snagged a water and a soda from one of the waitresses, yay! By the time we walked around a little more to try to find the rest of the crew, it was almost midnight so we just sat down where we could see the TV screen for the countdown. When midnight struck, everyone kissed and hugged and of course said Happy New Year!

Mark made me put another $20 into a slot machine (probably because I looked miserable). I actually kept getting bonuses and turned that $20 into $65, won my money back and some more so I was happy. Mark broke even too so we basically played for free which was nice. Actually, he won a little so we ate dinner for free, that's how I look at it. It worked out great because we didn't have a ton of money to be spending anyway so we were happy with not losing. 

After midnight, the place seemed to suddenly get super crowded. Out of nowhere, herds of people just started coming in and there wasn't an empty slot machine in sight. We left around 1am and there were more cars coming into the garage at that time than there were going out.

It was a LOT of walking and my feet and back were screaming at me (especially the next day) but I'm glad we went, it was really fun. I'd like to go back there again when it's not a holiday and maybe when the minimum bets at the blackjack tables aren't freakin $50! Next time Camden can't come though, hehe. This was his first and last casino trip for at least 21 years. 

We can't wait to see what this year has in store for us. I know there will be lots of new things to adjust to such as sleepless nights, baby puke, crying, poopy diapers, and tons of frustration, but all of the love and joy we will have for our baby boy will be totally worth it. Can't wait to meet him! The best is yet to come.