The Right Decision Made

Back when Jonas was born, I wrote this post about having to make the decision to get my tubes tied.  I know a lot of people have read that story and been touched by it.  I know that in writing it, I was trying to convince myself that I made a good decision and that it was the only way.

But it broke my heart.

At that time, I wasn't ready to say "we'll always be a family of 4".  I still dreamt of one day holding a baby girl in my arms.  My body missed having a baby inside.  I thought I'd one day long for more.

And then I got to know Jonas.  I mean, I really got to know him.  And I learned that that boy is work... lots of work.  So, my baby fever got put on hold.

Then I started to watch him and Marco together.  The way they love each other.  The way they play together.  They're two peas in a pod.  A match made in heaven.

And I felt...
Complete

Recently, I've felt more secure in my decision than ever before.  I've learned in the past few weeks that THREE of my friends are pregnant.  And all I feel is happiness for them.  Not a hint of jealousy.

Where before I used to feel an ache in my body... a yearning for another.  Now, all I want to say, "so happy it's you... and not me".  That's a sure sign.

I know that the decision I made... although hasty and forced upon me... was the right one after all.  God gave me a great gift... I'm content.  I know that this is exactly the way my family was always meant to be.  We were always meant to have a Table for 4.

My Heart Procedure

Today I went in to have a heart procedure called a Cardiac Ablation, and I have lived to tell the tale.  Honestly, it's a routine procedure and very low risk... so low risk in fact, that it's an outpatient procedure.  People are always shocked by that... yes, they were in my heart, and then sent me home.  But, they went into my heart through catheters, not by opening my chest.

It all began back when I was pregnant with Jonas.  I began feeling my heart rate accelerate spontaneously, and couldn't figure out why.  Sometimes it was after running after Marco, but sometimes it was while sitting on the couch.  There was no rhyme or reason to it.  So, I told my doctor and he sent me to the cardiologist that set me up with a 24 hour heart monitor.  As luck would have it, I did not have a single episode during those 24 hours.  The doctor kinda brushed it off saying that sometimes our bodies react strangely to pregnancy.  So even though it kept occurring, I didn't worry about it to much because I figured it was a weird pregnancy side-affect.

Then in December, when I became hospitalized in Miami for pneumonia, it started happening again.  This time it was extreme.  On the first day, my heart rate popped up to 185 and stayed there for over 20 minutes.  The nurses had to call a Code and everyone rushed in with panels and equipment.  They gave me a shot that  literally stopped my heart for a second or two before it came back to normal.  It scared the CRAP out of me.  It felt like an extreme pressure on my chest.  I immediately started crying because I was terrified.  The next day, my heart rate was flopping up and down... 180, 80, 175, 90... etc.  They told me they were going to have to inject me again with the heart stopper and I was dreading it.  Thankfully my heart gained control and we didn't have to.  But before they sent me home, they had an arrhythmia specialist come see me.  He explained that I didn't need a cardiologist... what I needed was an Electrophysiologist.  Talk about a specialist!

I made an appointment with the ONLY group in Greenville to specialize in arrhythmia.  Luckily, as I went in for my appointment, I was having an episode, so they were able to capture it on record.  My heart rate was at 183 for over 20 minutes while I was in the office.  The doctor, Dr. Rubenstein, explained my condition in detail and gave me my options.

He said that the heart is an electrical organ.  With every pulse, it releases an electrical cell, that travels from the top section to the bottom section, thus creating the boom-boom... top-bottom.  What seems to happen to me at times, is that the electrical cell gets stuck in a track and doesn't travel in it's normal pattern... that's why we get a rapid heart rate... boom-boom-boom-boom... top-top-top-top.

This has absolutely NOTHING to do with anything I do or have done.  It doesn't happen when I'm angry, or running, or because of any medications I've taken in the past.  It is completely random and can happen to anyone.

My options to fix it were to either take a daily dose of medication or to have it fixed by doing the ablation.  Obviously, I chose the latter.  I made this decision because 1. Once it's fixed, it's fixed... it will not ever come back, in that spot.  and  2. I wont have to take any sustaining meds.  I was afraid that I'd have a heart attack while having one of those episodes, and Dr. R told me that although it wouldn't cause a heart attack, it would eventually cause heart failure.  Our hearts are electrical, like a battery.  When it is overworked, it dies sooner rather than later.  I need my heart to die as LATE as possible... I have a lot of work to do with my babies!

So, I went in today to get this thing over and done with.  I was nervous.  They prepped me and took me in to the OR.  Once there, they began wrapping me in a bunch of tarps (I was thinking about Dexter... sick, right?) and started my drugs.  They gave me one dose, but it didn't seem to make a difference, so they gave me another one... and that's all I remember.  I woke up hours later in the recovery room with my mom at my side.  I slept longer than I was supposed to, but when they tried to wake me, I was too groggy to do anything.  They went in through both my groins and my neck with catheters, so I had bandages covering those spots.

I'm still feeling sore and tired, but I'm doing well.  I can't walk up the stairs, so my amazing knight in shining armor, Mauricio, is carrying me around.  How romantic!  I should be back to normal within a day or two.  Thanks to all of you who have Facebooked me with prayers and kind words and thoughts.

Scary Skinny

For those of you that have known me for a while, you know that I've never been a "skinny girl".  True, I've never been FAT either, but I've always been a little round around the edges.

I was at my heaviest when I was a senior in high school, weighing 160.  I know that for some of you 160 is great, but I am not athletic, so that 160 includes NO muscles... seriously, none.  Then, when I started college, I joined weight watchers and lost 20 pounds safely and healthily.  But, after falling into some health problems which lead to depression, I dropped another 20 pounds by not eating much.  I was weighing 120 and although I looked good, I wasn't healthy.  When my depression subsided, and I fell in love with Mauricio, I gained more weight... pretty much back to my 160.  That's where I was at when I got engaged in September of 2006.

I was determined to lose some weight for my wedding, so I changed some eating habits and was able to lose 20 pounds with no difficulty at all.  Here I am by July of 2007.

I was able to maintain my weight throughout that first year of marriage... yes, I beat the odds!  I was afraid that having children would change my body a lot and that since I had yoyo-ed so much in the past, that I'd have a hard time losing my baby weight.  When I got pregnant with Marco in October 2008, I was weighing 143.  I ate and ate... I gave in to a lot of my cravings (not all though) and still had a very hard time putting on weight during Marco's pregnancy.  By the time I went in to labor, I had only gained 15 pounds.  The day after Marco was born, I was weighing LESS than before I got pregnant.  Most women would be jealous... and I was happy! 

Thanks to breastfeeding, I lost more weight than expected.  I was looking good... my stomach was nice and flat (for the first time ever).  I had to buy new jeans... size 6!  Here I was in February of 2010... I was weighing about 135.  

Then, I got pregnant again.  At my first doctors appointment, I was weighing 133.  Again, I had a hard time gaining weight... but this time because I was still breastfeeding Marco and chasing around a mobile baby.  Although Jonas was born early, I had only gained 4 pounds.  FOUR pounds... and he weighed 3.7.  Um, thats not good.  I was weighing 125, and again had to buy new jeans... this time a size 3.  I have never... and I mean NEVER (like, not even in middle school) worn a size 3.  I was happy I was skinny... even with 2 kids... talk about a hot mama!  Here I was in December.

But then, the weight just kept on dropping.  I was doing more, but I wasn't eating more.  And, I SWEAR I did not do this on purpose... it's like it didn't dawn on me what was happening.  I was breastfeeding a baby, not sleeping enough, chasing a toddler and sharing food.  I was not eating my extra 500 calories for breastfeeding, and I'd be surprised if I was eating anywhere close to the amount of calories I needed.  Before I knew it, I was weighing 118.  My size 3's began to slip.

Then, a few weeks ago, I went to the doctor, stood on the scale and I was weighing a SHOCKING 108.  O.M.G.  That is not right.  I am not a 10 year old.  I should not be weighing that little.  My doctor was not pleased.  He said I needed to eat more... put on weight... stop sharing food... and sadly, stop breastfeeding.  NOOOOOOO!

I was a little apprehensive about that last part.  I knew I had to stop sharing with Marco... and I have.  I knew I needed to eat more... and I've been force feeding myself.  But stop breastfeeding... say it ain't so!
I finally decided that it was necessary when we went in for Jonas' 6 month check up.  He was weighing 7.14 lbs.  At his 4 month appointment, he was 7.0.  That means that in 2 months, he didn't even gain a full pound.  Who's fault could that be?  Who else, but me?  My milk must not be as nutritious and fatty as it needs to be in order to bulk him up.  So, we've started cereal and veggies.  I am beginning to wean, starting by using my stash (which is fatty milk back from when I was heavier) and then switching to... (I can barely say it)... formula.  It makes me sad that I wasn't able to stay healthy enough to breastfeed for a year.  But the truth is, that switching will make us BOTH more healthy.

So, yes, I can totally rock a bikini this summer... but at what cost?

Here I am today... exact weight unknown, but too skinny for sure.

Not by me, but by Him

Some may say my life has been one of meeting my obstacles head on, not allowing life to get me down, but moving forward always.  I can agree.  My life has not been easy, but the grace of God has always guided and strengthened me.  I have so many examples of which I can write, but I will choose one.

After being married to the love of my life for a ful year, we decided it was time to start thinking about bringing a little "us" into the picture.  We prayed abou tit and decided to consult my doctors about the decision.  Since I had always lived with major health difficulties, it was important to get the green light from them before proceeding with our plans.

I made an appointment with my Pulmonologist and informed him of our plan to conceive.  He looked at me with skeptical eyes and with very little sympathy in his voice, he said, "That's probably not a good idea.  You should just adopt, but don't risk having your own children".  I sat in my paper gown atop the examination table and began to shiver.  Tears swelled in my eyes and poured down my cheeks as my dreams of having my own children started to evaporate.  How could he dismiss all of my dreams and desires in one simple sentence?  I was devastated.

Mauricio and I began to pray feverishly about what God had planned for our life.  He had always made a way for us and given me strength to do things beyond the limitations set for me by others.  He reminded me of all the things He pulled me through in the past.

* When I was a 5th grader and I wanted to be a cheerleader, people said it wasn't a good idea.  But I did it anyway.  Although I was quite possibly the worst cheerleader in the history of cheering, I completed the season.

* When I was 16 and they told me I needed a lung transplant and would no longer live the life of a normal teen, I proved them all wrong.  Time and time again I was TOO healthy to recieve a transplant and kept on getting skipped on the list for people who needed a lung for a life or death situation.  Eventually they pulled me off the list all together.

*  When I was applying for college and wanted to be an Opera major, the professors and administration said it wasn't a good idea.  My lungs did not have the capacity to handle the rigor of the repertoire.  And my arthritis would be affected too greatly with the staging and long days on my feet.  But I did it anyway.  And I graduated on time!

*  When I wanted to move out on my own and begin working, people said it wasn't a good idea.  They said I should stay near my family in case something happened.  They said I wouldn't be able to handle working full time with children and maintain my own house.  But I did it anyway.  And I was good at my job too!

God pulled me through all of these things that mere man said I could not do.  I realized it wasn't by my efforts, but by God's grace.  I realized that if he pulled me through those petty and insignificant desires, how much more would he grant me the true desire of my heart... to be a mom.  We decided to trust in Him completely.

In October of 2008, we conceived my first son, Marco and decided to move 700 miles away from our family.  People said we were crazy to have a baby and do it all by ourselves while being so far from my family.  People said we couldn't afford to live off of one income, to allow me to be a stay-at-home-mom. People said we would struggle.  And when we conceived our second son, Jonas, they said it all again.  But we are doing it anyway!  And not by our hands, but by God's hands, which guide us every single step of the way.

An Update

So, as you may have read, I've been in the hospital since Tuesday with 30 week pre-term labor.  After much effort, all contractions have stopped, but unfortunately the bleeding has not.  This is a tricky situation because bleeding usually means one thing: Placenta Abruption.  This is a very very bad thing.  
The doctor had given me a sliver of false hope today and said that if everything continued going well (while on drugs), they'd release me tomorrow to have bed rest at home.  I could already feel my little boy in my arms... I've missed him so much!  Then, I began bleeding more than I had in the past few days.  The only reasonable explanation is placental abruption.  Unfortunately, according to the doctor, only 30% of abruptions appear on ultra sound scans, so just because the scan proves to be ok doesn't actually mean it is ok.  And, the doctor revoked my going home hope. 
They have decided to stop ALL meds and see what my body does.  The fear is that my body is trying to release the baby because something greater is going on, but we're not allowing it to because we continue to control the contractions.  So, we're not going to control it any more.  Basically, if I begin to contract, they're not going to stop my labor.  And, if my cervix begins to open, they'll c-section me as soon as I'm at 4cm.  We're in a total waiting game.  What will my body do now?  Are these contractions going to come back once the drugs in my system wear out?  Will they EVER send me home?
Tomorrow, I'll have another ultra sound with a growth scan, so we'll get to see how big our little one is.  Tomorrow I also hit 31 weeks!  Yay!  I didn't think I'd make it.  It's been a rough week, but we're gonna keep on holding on.

Eager Beaver

That's it... my babies are officially too excited to meet their way awesome parents that they simply can not remain in utero as long as normally required.  In case you missed it... I've gone in to pre-term labor and have been in the hospital, fighting to keep this little one inside for 3 days now.
I began going into labor with Marco at 35 weeks, with bleeding, but we were able to hold off a bit and he was born at 36w0d.  The only reason he's a "36 weeker" is because he was born at 1am on the day of my week switch.  He was too early and had to go to the NICU for 6 days because his lungs were not yet mature enough.  Due to the fact that his labor was at an "almost ok" time, the doctors made no effort to stop the process, nor did they give him any steroids to mature his lungs.
I've been keeping positive this whole pregnancy, saying "I'm delivering ON my due date"!  I really really wanted to make it... but it's not gonna happen.  At 30w1d, I woke up with severe pain in my abdomen, followed by a gush of blood... not too comforting for a pregnant woman.  A few minutes after that, I noticed I was beginning to have contractions and by the time we made it to the hospital I was 1cm dilated and contracting ever 3-5 minutes.  That, ladies and gents, is what we call "active labor".  Not a good sign for a 30 weeker!  So, they had two choices, stop it or c-section me.
They considered the c-section because they were thinking that they reason I was bleeding was due to placental abrubtion.  After blood work and a super quick ultra sound, everything looked ok with the placenta, so they decided to stop the contractions.  I was put on a heavy dose of Magnesium for 48 hours.  I was also given steroid shots which help baby's lungs mature at a more rapid pace.  So, if and when he is born, he will have a little extra juice in him!
48 hours after my arrival, they took me off the Magnesium... which was nice.  The Mag makes you really drowsy, head-achy and you can't get up because they insist on putting in a cathetar.  I was feeling good and doing well for about 12 hours, and then the contractions started up again.  Since then, I've been given quite a cocktail of drugs which has made me feel hot, loopy, sluggish, and strange.  Unfortunately, not even this cocktail has stopped the contractions, so now I'm BACK on the Mag til tomorrow morning.  Basically, I was told that the Mag is the "BIGGEST gun we've got".  So, if that doesn't work, I don't think much else will.
I'm just praying to hold off as long as possible.  I've come to terms with the fact that I'll be having a c-section because the baby is breech.  I have come to terms that another one of my babies will be in the NICU for a while.  I have come to terms with the fact that the next few months will be rather difficult.
I know that God is in complete control.  I trust in His unfailing love and know that His hands are guiding me.  I can trust that what has happened and will happen are in His will and that His plan is the best one for me.
Please pray for me as well.

Sugar Shock

Between 24-28 weeks, every pregnant woman gets the extreme pleasure of taking a test... a glucose test.  You don't have to study, but it still sucks.  For those of you who have yet to endure, let me paint you a picture.  You wake up in the morning, feeling nauseous, as usual, but instead of being able to chow down on your crackers, or cereal (or whatever you eat in the morning... chocolate cake?) you have to down... and I mean CHUG a 10 oz bottle of liquid sugar.  Oh, and try to keep it down.  No, it's not literally "liquid sugar", but pretty much.  They try to make it seem tasty by adding an orange or fruit punch flavor to it, but when you open the bottle, you can see the sugar crystalizing on the rim.  Just thinking about it is turning my stomach.

Once you get to the doctor, you have your blood drawn and they send it off to a lab to check your sugar levels.  My OB is pretty much awesome, and lets me take the bottle home so I can drink it 45 minutes prior to my appointment.  Some people have to take it upon arriving and then wait for an hour to have their blood drawn. 

So, I did all this... managed to chug the bottle, while fighting off Marco (who of course wanted a sip), went to the appointment, got stabbed in the arm and was told "If you don't hear anything in 3-4 days, you're fine".  It's the old "no news is good news" deal.  After 3-4 days, I had heard not a peep, so I figured all was well.  Not so much.

I get a call over a week later, where the nurse kindly explains to me that I have failed my first attempt at the test and have to come in immediately for a 3 hour test!  Why wasn't I informed earlier?  Well, because they misplaced my chart... of course!  Thankfully this happened while my mom was in town, so I didn't have to contain and entertain Marco for 3 hours at the OB. 

Exam #2:  I drag my butt out of bed at 7:30 and get to the OB by 8:15.  They didn't give me the drink ahead of time this round... probably didn't trust me to follow directions.  It went a little like this:

8:30- Draw blood from left arm

8:35- Chug liquid sugar

8:40- Deep breaths so as to not hurl

8:50- Read my book for a while

9:30- Draw blood from left arm AGAIN

9:35- Play suduko on my phone

10:30- Draw blood from right arm

10:35- Stare unkindly at other people's loud children... because my child never screams

11:30- Draw blood from right arm AGAIN

11:35- Finally released from misery and allowed to EAT!

So, again I got the line "If you don't hear from us in 3-4 days, you're fine"... and it's been well over a week.  Was a silly to trust them again?  Should I have called?  I'm hoping either "no news is good news" or "ignorance is bliss".  If one doesn't work, then the other should!  Either way, my next appointment is on Friday, so I'll be SURE to ask then.  That was a not-so-sweet experience.  Study up, pregnant ladies!  

Boy, Oh Boy... We're having another BOY!

A little over a week ago, we had my BIG ultrasound.  We were estatic to learn that we are going to have another baby boy!  Naturally, we would have been "estatic" either way, but knowing it's a boy just seems right.  Marco's going to have a buddy!

So, since learning the news, we've been trying to teach Marco that he's going to have a brother.  We tell him, "Where's your brother?" and he comes over to me, lifts my shirt and puts a finger in my bellybutton.  I don't think he knows there's a baby in there... maybe he just thinks that MY bellybutton is called "brother". Regardless, it's super cute!  

Now that we know it's a boy, the first question people ask is "have you thought of names?"  NO!  Mau and I have tossed some names around, mostly just trying to annoy eachother with bogus suggestions.  He's really good at that!  Unfortunately, our parents think that they have a say in what we name our children... they are misinformed.  They were not fond of Marco, but we chose it anyway, and LOVE it!  So what if people are going to call him "Marco Polo"... there are worse things, after all.  Kids are going to find ANY excuse to make fun of other kids.  If it's not their name, it's their weight, or their height, or their lunchbox. The latest name joke is that we should name this one Paulo... you get it?  Marco and Paulo... hardy har har.  That's not happening! We just want to choose a name that WE (as in my husband and I) like and fit with our last name.  We've decided that we're not telling anyone our name options until we have DECIDED.  That way, when people object (because we know they will), we'll just say, what's done is done.  Maybe I'll get something monogramed or engraved so there's no turning back. 

During our ultrasound, we were also happy to know that everything is growing perfectly and he's measuring two days ahead.  We're expecting to have another happy and healthy boy.  

Here are some of the 3D pictures taken of his face... He's looking a little skinny, but then again, he's only half-baked.  I think he's going to look more like Mau... it's the nose.  What do you think?

Gender Predictions

I'm starting to feel quite anxious.  On next Friday, July 9, we will learn the sex of our new baby!  I'm so excited and I have no real "predictions".

With Marco, I was sure he was a girl... I just had a gut feeling.  Goes to show you how much I can trust my gut!  I was so surprised when they told me it was a boy... I needed them to double check.  In my mind he was a girl... 100%.  I even bought a doll, and when people would give me boy things I'd immediately want to return them.  I was so confident that it was going to be a girl.  When I found out he was in fact ALL boy, it took me a few hours to get used to the idea.  Not that I wasn't thrilled to be having a boy, but I had to wrap my head around it.  How could I have been so absolutely wrong?!  Within a few days we got really cozy with the idea of having a boy and once we picked out his name, there was no turning back.  We fell in love with him... HARD!

So, here we go again.  This time, I've tried my best to ignore my "gut", since it's so unreliable.  This pregnancy is somewhat different from Marco's, so that makes me automatically think GIRL.  But, at the same time, do I expect to have the exact same experience as I did the first time?  That's unrealistic!  Every pregnancy is different.  I am carrying higher than I did with Marco, but it's still all round belly.  With Marco, the belly started low, and I was in maternity pants at 13 weeks.  With this one, the belly starts above my belt, so here I am at 18 weeks and still wearing my normal jeans... with a belt... buckled on the tightest loop!  That makes me think that maybe it's a girl too... however, I've heard that girls are more spread out from side to side, and I am not.  I have a defined round belly, all in front.

A question everyone asks... What do you WANT it to be?  Of course we want it to be healthy, and deep down it doesn't matter what it is, but I'll answer the question, without the PC response.  We would love love LOVE to have another boy; mainly for Marco's sake.  IF I make it to my due date (and that is a BIG "if"), Marco will only be 17 months old.  It would be so wonderful for him to have a little brother, so close in age, so they can be really tight.  Of course he can be tight with a girl sibling, but honestly, it's not the same as same sex siblings.  Also, we're super cheap (lol) and have saved all of Marco's clothes and gear and would love to reuse it.

Now here's the thing, if we have another boy, then I need to get used to the idea that we may NEVER have a girl.  Am I, as a mother, ok with only having boys and never experiencing the mother/daughter bond?  Never shopping for training bras, never teaching her about her body, or talking about boys, or picking out her wedding dress, or being there when she has her babies.  Am I ok with the fact that the closest mother/daughter bond I'll have is with my daughter-in-laws?  And then of course, I'll be the intruding MOTHER-IN-LAW!! That's definitely something I'm going to have to be ok with, since it is still undetermined whether or not we will have another child after this one.

It's undetermined whether we'll have a third.  I think that if this one is a boy, we may keep the doors open because of my previous statements.  However, there is no guarantee that our third will be a girl, and THEN what?!  Four certainly is NOT an option!  Then again, if this one is a girl, we may close up shop for good.  Two versus three.  I think they're vastly different.  With two, you're playing man to man defense... with three, you're outnumbered.  With two, you can fit in a compact car... with three, you're driving a mini-van.  With two, you're ok in a 3 bedroom home... with three, you're way too tight.  The jury's still out as to what we're going to do.  I tell everyone, we'll see how it goes with two.  In any case, IF we choose to have a third, it wont be as close as Marco and #2 are.  I'm going to get an IUD so we have a good 3-5 years to put this on the back burner and think about it a bit more.  There's no rush.

Next Friday, our futures will be just a little more in shape and focused.  I'm so eager, anxious and excited to know what kind of baby will be joining us for the rest of our lives!  We know, either way, boy or girl, God's blessing have been vast and we pray that He continues to guide us in every decision we make.

12 Weeks, 2 Days

Weight: 125
Heartbeat: 164

I had my second official OB appointment on Wednesday, at 12 weeks/ 2 days.  It was a simple one, just blood pressure, weight and heartbeat.  The Dr was able to find the heartbeat immediately.  The doppler just touched my stomach and there was that beautiful "chug chug" sound.  It's amazing!  Upon listening to that glorious sound, my heart automatically swells.
So far this pregnancy has been much easier than Marco's.  I have had morning sickness everyday, but only before I eat.  That's not so bad.  With Marco I had it before I ate, after I ate and sometimes in the afternoon. I had designated "pull over" spots all along the way to work, and always drove in the right lane.  Sometimes I'd leave my students in the middle of a warm up and run into my office to hurl into the trash can... isn't that lovely?  None of that this time!  Whew, I dodged a bullet!  Because, really, I don't think I could handle changing all of Marco's RANCID diapers if I was as nauseas as I was last time.
I've only got a few more days of my 1st trimester, the worst, and I'm really looking forward to this next step.  I can't wait to have my belly back and wear my cute maternity clothes!  LOL.  It's silly, but I thought I looked pretty good pregnant.  Here I was at the end of my 2nd trimester, last time (duh)... about 24 weeks.  Not too big!  Like my socks?

I was telling Mau last night that I can't believe how much I love Marco.  He makes my life a million times more enjoyable!  And now, we're having another.  My heart is going to explode!  God has abundantly blessed me in this life.

8 weeks- 2 days

This week I had my first OB appointment for my new pregnancy.  We got to have an ultrasound and hear it's heart beat (174).  My calculations were incorrect, so they adjusted my due date according to the growth.  The baby measured at 8 weeks-2 days.  My due date is November 29, 2010!  Just 4 days after Thanksgiving!
So far, this pregnancy has been WAY easier than Marco's.  I have had minimal morning sickness, which was the worst the first time around.  I've had some food aversions, specifically to meats, and I've been a little extra tired.  But, the fatigue can be expected... I am chasing around an Olympic Crawler all day!
I'm starting off this pregnancy weighing 17 pounds less than I started off my first.  I'm really proud of how much weight I've been able to lose (I owe it all to breast feeding), and intend to keep a steady and healthy weight gain throughout my pregnancy.
Right now, there is a battle of names going on between my in-laws, my mom and my dad.  First off, everyone thinks this is a girl... I don't really know, but I have a hunch it's another boy.  Everyone wants us to name HER after themselves... today I've heard, "Bella Rosana", "Bella Vivian", "Ana-Mirella", "Cesarita", oh, and my personal favorite (insert dramatic eye-roll) "Luisa Georgina".  I told them that if we had to please ALL 3 mothers, we'd name it Rosavita... for Rosana, Vivian and Rita.  LOL.  It's not gonna happen, but it's fun going back and forth over it.
My next appointment is in 4 weeks, and I'll give another update after that!  Below is a pic from our ultrasound.  You see the head on the left and then the body with little arm and leg buds, followed by it's little tadpole tail.  The halo looking thing is the yolk sac, which will form into the placenta.  It's amazing to think that in just a few short months, that little creature will be my beautiful baby in my arms.  I'm in love already!