One of the downsides to this Coastie life...

I'm sitting alone in the living room of my parent's house right now. Mom and Dad have gone to bed, and the hubs is patiently waiting for me in the guest room. We were out running around a little tonight, though, and I'm the type that needs a few minutes of down time before I head to bed, so I'm visiting my favorite message boards and blogs, and winding down.

As I sit here, I was struck by the fact that this is the last time I'll get to see my parents until the flyingfish fry arrives. We flew from Kodiak to CT last week for a TAD trip for me, that also allowed us to have a baby shower with our east coast friends and family, and to spend Easter with most of my family. At this moment, the trip seems a little bittersweet, which is a complete change of emotion from just five days ago. I was so thrilled that we actually made it out of Kodiak (between the weather and a volcano, we're weren't sure that would happen), that I never thought about the flip side of this trip.

A big part of me is happy to be experiencing my pregnancy so far away from family that it "forces" the hubs and I to really be in it together. But, being here, and having the chance to really talk to my mom about the motherhood to come, and to have my dad jokingly call me slow and round (to which my response is my mantra - "I'm not fat, I'm growing a baby. I'm not fat, I'm growing a baby...") makes me think maybe I'm missing out on something by being so far away. Most likely, once I get home, I'll slip happily back into being able to roll my eyes at the unsolicited advice from the same mom I've enjoyed sharing with so much this week (she can't see the eyerolls on the phone!); but, for now, all I want is to be able to keep oohing and aahing over cute baby clothes with her, and getting her advice on all things parenting.

I'm sure the hormones aren't helping, but I don't think I WANT to be 5000 miles away from my mom for the last 13-ish weeks of this gig! But, like all good Coasties, I'll say goodbye tomorrow, at the end of this too-short leave/TAD period, and head back to the work waiting for me in Kodiak. The hubs will stand his 27 make-up duty days (I exaggerate.. I think it's only 5!), and we'll go back to the way it was before we came this time. But somehow, sharing pictures of my growing belly via the internet just won't feel like enough anymore, I don't think.

Huh. I just might have to make more use of that webcam I hate so much....