It's a Penelope!!!

And she is beautiful. Absolutely beautiful!

The calm before the (spaghetti) storm

The Weather Channel will be posting pictures of the aftermath. Regardless, kudos to the crab cake for trying new foods! Yes, I called Miles a crab cake.

In 9 days...

Greeting from 2.0!

... we find out what side of Old Navy the 2.0 will be eventually shopping on. Will it be for dresses or cargo shorts? Most folks tell me I am lugging around a little lady because this pregnancy is very different from Miles. At this point, I am only leaning toward girl because we have absolutely no boys' names in mind. Nothing. Nada. Zilch- but the girl's name is covered.

Honestly, I have bigger worries on my mind than gender. This go around, as mentioned in early posts, we have forgone with much of the prenatal testing. This ultrasound, to be conducted at a special clinic, will give us the most insight, outside of the AFP test, on potential developmental areas of concern. I ditched the quad screen because it didn't work last time, and this time it would already begin as inaccurate because it can't report my rates for trisomy 21, which are inevitably much higher than the general population. So in this ultrasound we are looking for soft markers in addition to decorating directions.

I am anxious because that is who I am. Not that evidence of genetic defect would lessen my love for this child or discourage me to prepare for his/her arrival, not in the least. Besides, trisomy 21 has opened my heart and mind in dimensions that I didn't know existed prior to becoming a parent. I worry because I want so very much for Miles to be a big brother. This is a role he was born for- his spirit and courage are so inspirational. And his constant love for the baby ball, which is how he is signing my tummy's name now, melts my heart on a daily basis. His excitement over the bump is only a glimpse into the joy he's going to experience meeting his little brother or sister. 9 days also marks the halfway point, so we are halfway to arranging that meeting!

Belly Woes

Today has been a total guttural washout. Silly me, I thought the "morning sickness" was over. Oh no, it was only taking the vacation I didn't get to this summer. Sigh.

Without getting into too many details, I have just kept my first meal of the day down (and it's 2 p.m. EST). Don't think I haven't been trying, and that's the sick part. As violently ill as I have been, I am still dreaming of tomato bisque with white cheddar grilled cheese sandwiches. My gut's gone bi-polar: ill, starving, ill, starving, ill, starving... I am exhausted, even after a glorious nap made possible by the grandparents. And my tummy's still acting pissy, but I would walk across a field of broken glass right now for an M&M Blizzard. Literally.

But blasted all- that picture is making me feel queasy. Here's hoping I don't toss my cookies and cream, again.

Happy Friday

Though in the summer, every day is Friday! (And those back to school ads are leaving me less than thrilled.)

How did we celebrate Miles' 2nd Heart Birthday?

By running around topless and screaming... just the boy of course. It's too hot for me to be running and screaming. : )

I get this clip sent to my phone. While I'm whacking away on a case study, Miles and his beloved Dada are putting that patched pumper to good use. To think that two years ago today, his heart and lungs weren't even operating on their own simply blows my mind. Two years feels like an eternity ago, and the Anna then is not the Anna now. During that pre-op/ op/ post-op phase, I was in pure survival mode, focused on keeping my precious boy alive. Now, I sit in wonder, amazed that he is now, perhaps, overactive and a bit crazy. Maybe I only feel this way because I should be working on this report, but darn it, I need to pause and celebrate the miracle that is Miles. And I need to re-thank all of you for your amazing support and love. Posting during his surgical times was critical for my well-being; I had to share the fear and pain, and this blog proved to be the vehicle I needed. Thank you for reading my words, sharing in the process, and joining us in this profound journey of healing and growth. Team Milestones, I love you all.

And a special shout out to the 2.0: Little person, you are going to have the most amazing big brother imaginable. Not doubt. Miles is already in love with you; he tells me so all of the time. Just last night he fed my belly (meaning you) meatballs and mac 'n' cheese. Luckily, the baby bump now sticks out far enough to make cleaning food residue a breeze. He's tried to find you in my belly button on several occasions, and know that he gives you kisses all regularly. You, my mysterious sproutlet, are also included in the celebration! Perhaps you'll score another meatball tonight. Fingers crossed.

Miles in the Media

A recent promotional video for Miles' early childhood program was uploaded to the Internet. We saw the video a few months back, but today I saw it on the program's website while working on a research project. Imagine my surprise as I was in the paper writing zone to be pulled back to reality by the beautiful face of my son. Ahhhh.... as always, he is my breath of fresh air. What a nice treat.

If you click on the link below, it will take you directly to the short film, "Have a Little Faith in Me." Miles' cameo arrives 14 seconds from the start. Enjoy!

Click here for the video link!

Momma's little rock lobster!

Miles and me on a pre-dinner water ride. By the end, he was clapping. Loudly. And cheering.

Miles at the (surprise) show! You know he likes his Quiche Lorraine in Mesopotamia.

So instead of wrapping up some research I should have been doing, the family unit snuck over to Busch Gardens for a quite bit and a walk-about. To our surprise, the one and only B 52's were playing. We made this discovery after walking out of dinner and seeing masses of folks wander over to the concert stage area. Lo and behold, it turned out to be one of my favorite party bands, ever! While we didn't stay long because it was getting late and loud, I can proudly say my son has been to a B 52's concert. Rest assured, he boogied right along with his momma.

The walk back to car was another story. I am afraid I have developed a nasty case of sciatica and am being stubborn about it. Instead of resting, I determined to POWER THROUGH. Dumb, I know. Regardless, I spent 60 minutes on the living room floor writhing around because my right leg and butt cheek had become enemy insurgents. I can't believe this might be sticking around for months to come. Someone get me a jazzy. STAT.

Brunch with Miles

And he's a big person fork and plate, though we've moved back to the high chair. His little table is just to easy to flee from with the spirit strikes, and he is often moved by that spirit to run about and hide in cabinets. BTW, waffles are now his favorite food group.

We're back! (for an update)

This typing moment is brought to you exclusively by The Wiggles. Thanks gents for entertaining my munchkin whilst I do a brief update...

Okay, what's new? Well, I am absent from the blog-o-sphere because I am trucking through 16 credit hours of reading instruction, transition planning, and more. Interestingly enough, I never took more than 14 hours a semester at WM- looks like I was smarter in my undergrad years. However, this mad dash should be done by the end of August. So much for having a summer break, but it looks like a pretty sweet break is in store for the family over Christmas...

...with the arrival of the Thomas 2.o (which is now the official nickname). 2.o and I have been doing well, still heaving every morning, but that's it. Energy has returned. Moodiness is at an all time high, but I can always blame the hormones. We had a second ultrasound done about two weeks ago, but just a quick peek to make sure the heart was ticking. And it was! We have opted not to do any invasive prenatal testing, for several reasons. First, the facility we would have been referred totally missed Miles' Ds and heart defect during that pregnancy. Secondly, we want this little critter, no matter what. During my first OB appointment for the 2.0, a nurse was really pushing me to do testing, saying that you don't want to find out late that something is off. I said, "Look, we are the worst-case scenario for finding out late, so it's all good." If you don't already know, Miles wasn't diagnosed with Ds until after his two month appointment. (You can read all about it under the posts for June 2008). I did agree to more testing if soft markers appear during my regular OB appointments- but it wouldn't entail anything more than another ultrasound.

Miles is also gearing up for the 2.0's arrival. He keeps looking in my belly button, trying to snag a glance at the baby. He's also saying (orally) and signing baby very consistently. Even cuter, he's taken to feeding us, as if we were babies. I know that he's going to make the best big brother ever. He's room will be moved downstairs by the end of the month, and 2.0 will be next door to him. We've decided to keep the kiddos on the ground floor, and the parents get to have the upstairs all to themselves! The only downside means we are returning to baby monitors, which means the end of sleep. Again.

And finally, our plans for today involve cheering on Rafa in twenty minutes. Miles and I have been able to catch most of Wimbledon this year. And even cooler, Miles just got his first tennis racquet!!!!!! You have no idea how excited this makes me; learning tennis is a family tradition, and I can't wait to pass this on to my children. Given Miles' early interest in sports, I know he'll love it. Besides, he's already mastered throwing his racquet- another family tradition. As for 2.0, she/he and I will mostly like be playing in a singles league this fall. I can't wait to track down a maternity tennis skirt (aka table cloth)! Later today, we are headed to a Plentovich pool party at Aunt Joye's, and then we are capping the night off with some Colonial Williamsburg fireworks.

Hope you all have a safe July 4th! Turn up the Neil Diamond!