You Don't Know What You've Got Til' It's Gone.

I know that when my posts are long and tedious they don't get read as much. But, as I have said before; Blogging is a cheap and effective therapy. Sometimes what I write is more for myself than the people who read.

I'm saying that as a precursor of what is to come.

This may end up being one of those long-winded blog posts.

To start off.... I will soon be the recipient of a new piano AND our next family vacation will be to New York City.

But the details behind both of these pieces of news have constantly had me in TEARS lately. I will probably bawl my eyes out while I type this entire post.

You see, my parents announced that they are moving to NYC. They leave in ONE WEEK!

I have been trying to put on a brave face about it (and have been failing miserably). It has me devastated.

Not that I don't understand their decision, because I do. My blubbering probably has more to do with crazy pregnancy hormones and the impending arrival of the baby than anything else.

I know, a while back I mentioned that my Dad was commuting weekly to NYC to work for Morgan Stanley Bank. Well, this commute has been going on for a year now. I don't know how he does it? A cross-country commute on a regular basis would kill me.

Morgan Stanley Bank has been begging my Dad to come work for them full-time, and that is what is finally happening.

Nick and I have been in our house for almost a year now. Our house is 2 minutes away from my parents'. So, for the past year I have had everything I ever really wanted, and I wasn't smart enough to appreciate it. It has been nice to have a change of scenery 2 mintues away. A place where I could show up in my pajamas and no one would even bat an eye. A clean place I could go to when my own house was dirty (and I didn't have the energy to clean). My Mom's house is always clean and comfortable.

My Mom may drive me crazy sometimes, but she has been indispensible to me. There is a big difference between being a phone call away, and physically 2 minutes away. It is going to be a big adjustment.

Reagan practically bursts with happiness every time she sees my parents. On Mother's Day it nearly broke my heart to see Reagan run to my Mom and throw her arms around her, because I realized this won't be a regular occurence anymore.

My Dad is Reagan's favorite playmate. Reagan knows that my Dad will sneak cookies for her, will put Mickey Mouse on the TV for her, and will play with her outside whenever she wants.

I try not to think about it, but it ususally ends up being the only thing I do think about. I am saddened by all that I will be missing. My Mom won't be living near me when my new little baby arrives!

Granted, she didn't live in Seattle when Reagan arrived; and I survived. But this is somehow different. For our family, where my parents live is "home". I feel a little uprooted by the fact that they will be moving 2300 miles away. I guess just didn't realize how much I relied on them.

I probably ought to be saying: "Yay, this means I will get to visit exciting NYC on a regular basis!". But the reality of the situation is: NYC is a 5+ hour plane trip away, and I am going to have to be making that trip with two kids. Ugh.

I would feel so much differently, if this were an extended family member moving to New York. It has just hit me so hard because it is my PARENTS.

I was totally stoked for my Cousin; David, and his wife and daughter when they announced that they are moving to Brooklynn at the end of the summer. Now, I am like: "those jerks! They will get to see my parents more than I do". OK, total sarcasm there. Dave and Kat, you know I think really highly of you.

As for the piano (that I mentioned ALL THE WAY BACK at the begining of the post). My parents are seriously downsizing. Going from a beautiful 4000 Sq. Foot home to a two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan (most likely). They are literally "cleaning house" and getting rid of a lot. They don't think a piano will fit in their new place, so they are giving it to me.

If I could have picked out my ideal piano, their would have been my second choice (a baby grand, being my first). The Piano is gorgeous! And it is only 2 years old (maybe less?). All I had wanted for my birthday was a piano. My piano budget was limited, so I have been keeping my eye on KSL classifieds trying to find something that would work, but as of yet; haven't found anything I was in love with.

And while I ought to be happy and grateful for this gift... My honest feelings are that: I would much rather have my parents still living 2 minutes away, than have a stunning piano in my living room. I would gladly go back to scouring the online ads for used piano's, if it meant that my parents got to stay.

The past little while I have thought about ways to sabotage their move, but I know that it might only prolong the inevitable. There is no possible way that they can stay. And, maybe the sooner they move there, the sooner the time will come for them to move back! :)

Part of my heart is going to "The Big Apple". I hope it returns (permanently) to me, soon.

Impact

Oh, third trimester. How could I forget that you are so awful? In Jenny McCarthy's book Belly Laughs she says something along the lines of: "during the third trimester you feel like you just finished running a marathon, haven't slept in a week, and were just hit by a mac truck- all at the same time".
Yep. That pretty much sums it up.
When I was pregnant with Reagan I had the LUXURY of being able to come home from work and to collapse on the couch for the rest of the night. A lot of the time I would go to bed at 6PM.

Last night, Nick afforded me that perk again. I really did "hit the hay" at 6PM. But I don't expect it to be a common occurence like it was the first time around.

For me, the bottom line remains the same. Pregnancy has no redeeming qualities.

I am grateful for the fact that I have a husband who makes me laugh. He adds levity to my marriage, and to this pregnancy.

To illustrate my point... The following conversation occurred last night (as I was off to bed at 6PM):

Me (laying on the couch, whining about how tired I was): "Nick, will you come help me get up so that I can go to bed"?

Nick: "OK" (walks over and obliges me).

Me (feeling like I need to justify my actions): "Nick, it is SOOOO hard to be preggo. Sometimes I think you forget that I am pregnant".

Nick (feinging shock and surprise, looks at my stomach): "Honey, your stomach is so big! Have you been letting yourself go?!".

Me (laughing) "You just don't understand what it's like. I feel like I have to use the bathroom- ALL OF THE TIME, among MANY other discomforts".

Nick: "You do a pretty good job of keeping me clued in about EVERY SINGLE ache and pain associated with pregnancy".

Me: "I'm leaving. Quit making me laugh, I might pee my pants".

Nick (after I had left the room): "Honey, come back. You left a puddle on the floor".

Mother's Day

I saw this quote in a baby advertisement and thought it was pretty clever.

"I am NOT a woman who can always resist ice cream, wears makeup to the pool, and has spotless floors all the time. But I am strong. I AM MOM".

I thoroughly enjoyed Mother's Day this year. I was the lucky recipient of breakfast in bed. Nick cooked crunchy berry pancakes for me. Breakfast was served on Reagan's Disney Princess TV tray (since I do not own a formal breakfast tray). I inhaled them so fast, that I didn't think about taking a picture until afterward.

So, here is the picture from the recipe.

On Sunday afternoon Reagan crawled in to my lap, snuggled up with me and fell asleep in my arms. This is the first time this has happened since Reagan was an infant. I was in "Mommy Heaven". I told Nick that it is the first time in this pregnancy that I have been warm. Reagan has always been a little ball of fire. I very rarely have to worry about her being cold. But with this baby, my regular saying is that, "I feel like I am gestating an icicle".

Maybe Reagan's actions were unconscious, but I felt like it was the best Mother's Day gift she could have given me.

And, to top that off... I opened the mail and found that I had won an iPhone from Cosmopolitian Magazine! Usually, I am not so lucky. One time, in Junior High School I won a Kaboodles Hair Dryer. But in the past 15 years that is really the only thing that comes to mind when I think of prizes I have been awarded. But lately, I have been doing well in the "winners" department (in the past few months, through contests I have entered I have been given: a plaid bag/tote that I use to carry Reagan's stuff to church, $25 in scentsy product, and now the iPhone)!

What a blessed Mom I am!

Summer Vacation

So, the Scheurer Family Summer vacation.

We stayed in the most modern Hotel I have ever seen (to date). It is a brand new Marriott Springhill Suites. The amenities were wonderful (especially the full breakfast. But of course, a pregnant lady is going to say that :). And there was a Cafe Rio in the same parking lot. Like I said, ideal.

The location: Vernal, UT. Can you believe such a place exists in Vernal, UT? I couldn't.

I must admit, it's not my #1 pick for a place to vacation. Heck, if I were honest it wouldn't even crack my top 100 on a list of top destinations I'd like to visit. But this is where we ended up.

This "opportunity" arose because a 3-day shift opened up at the Walgreen's store in Vernal. They desperately needed a pharmacist out there. Walgreen's picked up the bill for the 3-night stay in the hotel, the gas, the mileage, the meals. Plus the OT pay. We figured, why not?

Another added bonus is that my friend Jeanne lives in Vernal.

Nick and I had already nixed an idea of a real summer vacation due to the fact that I am due- ha ha. Granted, the little one isn't supposed to arrive until August, but I am starting to get to the stage where everything becomes uncomfortable. And our extra money could be used in other/better ways right now.

Reagan isn't old enough to feel "jipped" about our choice of vacation spot. The fact that the hotel had an indoor pool was enough of a treat for her. Of the many times we visited the pool during our stay, we never had to share the waters. I would say that 99% of the guests at the hotel were construction worker guys (they had a sign posted at the front door requesting that all guests remove their muddy boots before entry). It was nice not to have to compete with other families for pool time.

While Nick was working, Reagan and I also spent a lot of time chillin'. We watched tons of movies (mainly of the Mickey Mouse and Elmo variety), and I was able to read a few books.

My own highlight was being able to go with Jeanne to get pedicures. Granted, the Salon/Spa was housed in (what used to be) an auto mechanic shop. But we still got quality pedi's, and that is what matters most.

I already have our next family vacation planned. And believe me, it is to a far better locale (no offense, Jeanne- Vernal isn't all bad). But the details for that vacation are for another post and another day.

Trip to the Dentist

Nick and I had appointments for Dental Checkups. I decided to bring Reagan with us, in hopes that this appointment would be a better experience for her than the last time.

Just after Reagan turned one I took her to a Pediatric Dentist, and it was awful. The dental office was tiny (so there was no space for a formal recovery room). This meant that the kids who were recovering from the gas/drugs had to do it in the main lobby area. Reagan was terrified of them, and I must say that I found them to be disturbing too. While we were waiting there were four kids in the waiting area recovering and they all acted like they were drunk/on drugs/ possessed.

The appointment went from bad to worse when the Dentist tried to look in Reagan's mouth. She screamed bloody murder. The dentist recommended that I have Reagan come back in for a frenectomy (a procedure where they cut the gums). I was skeptical, and so was my sister; Heather- who has worked in a dental/orthodontia office for a decade. As soon as I got home I called that dental office and cancelled Reagan's future appointments.

Needless to say, at that appointment I didn't get any pictures of Reagan's first trip to the dentist. AND I learned that it isn't the best idea to take your kids to dentist's that advertise in mailers. Just another incident of a Mommy being slow on the uptake.

So.... our trip to my "tried and true" dentist was much better.

Reagan played patiently (although, none too quietly) at the block table in the waiting room.

They let her come back to watch me having my teeth cleaned. She thought the TV's in the ceiling were pretty neat. And she even let the dentist look in her mouth without too much of a tantrum. When I asked if I could take her picture while she sat in the Dental Chair she told me "No". I didn't want to push it, so we settled for a picture with her and Nick and her prize.

My wonderful Dentist could not stop shaking his head about the fact that the other dentist Reagan had visited suggested a Frenectemy. I am so glad I opted not to put Reagan through it. My dentist said that Reagan is too young to even consider performing that procedure on, and that by the time she is 9 or 10 (an acceptable age to do the surgery) the problem will very well have resolved itself.

After the appointment we went across the street from the dental office to Sugarhouse park. Normally, in May I bet the place would have been packed with children. But in our freaky-weather May, this year, the park was deserted. We didn't stay too long because it was so cold.

We finished up the day by eating at Firehouse Pizzeria. Where, Reagan, once again proved that she is her father's child- by showing a preference to his meat pizza over her own Peanut Butter and Honey pizza (she also loves Chili as much as Nick does, and likes food with "heat" as well. The other day Nick was eating hot wings and she took one from him, and sucked all of the hot sauce off). I finished Reagan's PB & Honey pizza and deemed it my new favorite.

Stay tuned.... to find out the location of the last minute vacation we are leaving for TOMORROW!