The Football Wives

High school football season officially ended for the Morton Mustangs last weekend. It was strange and nice to have Berto home Friday night and Saturday morning, but it was also bittersweet. I was missing my Football Wives. I love that all of us coach's wives get along so well. I will miss our dinners at Lalo's, tailgating in the elite, beige pass only south parking lot, freezing in the stands, post game pizza and beer at R'Place with the boys, and of course, jamming out to Wilson Phillips! Until next season ladies! Hopefully we will make plans to see each other before next August, but the traditions will have to wait until then. And I'll enjoy having Berto spend more time at home, at least until next week, when wrestling season starts!

Annual Parties

This weekend we went to Dubuque to attend the Third Annual Fuegerfest. It was a great time had by all, as usual, with lots of authentic German food, music, and beer slinging. Fuegerfest was such a blast that it was actually labor inducing last year, with Jack Reinhardt Fueger joining us just 3 days post Fuegerfest II. Here's the "littlest man" himself enjoying his JACK o'lantern 1st birthday smash cake.

It got me thinking that I've never posted a word about our annual Jaquez Labor Day parties, which are definitely blog worthy. 2010 was the year of Jersey Shore which entailed baked ziti, Italian sausage, Snooki punch, tans, notes to Sammi, and lots of fist pumping!

Ronnie & Sammi


Guidettes


Joshy D & L-Woww


The shirt before the shirt


Situation Cake


Ham & Water


GTL!


2011 was Saved by the Bell!

Slater, Kelly, Lisa, and Zack


Inside the kitchen at the Max; stacks of burger baskets and the deep fryer ready to cook up homemade fries and onion rings


The Max


Caffeine Pills


Max Menu


Maxwell Nerdstrom & Violet Bickerstaff


The Cake


Lisa, Jessie, & Kelly


Taking Mr. Carosi's order

Berto & I are already scheming up themes for 2012 - got any ideas?

So-Called "Fetal Echocardiogram"

It was another ultrasound. Undoubtedly with a much higher price tag. At least after 2 months of drama and phone calls, I am finally on Berto's Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO! Ok, so maybe there was a bit more focus on the heart this time than in the previous ultrasounds, but not a whole lot. And it didn't really seem like anything new was determined at all. Baby Rhina is still showing steady growth. She is measuring small, but within healthy range. The doctor asked what my size was when I was born saying that her size is likely in relation to mine. I didn't know the answer. I think I was smaller, but I couldn't quote a weight, so I had to text my mom. Apparently the doctors were worried about my size, but I was healthy, just small at 6lbs 1oz.
The good news about yesterday's fetal echocardiogram, is I'm done with these special appointments. I'll still have ultrasounds once a month to check her growth, but I can incorporate them into my regular doctor's appointments instead of the specialists at the fetal maternal medicine center in Hinsdale. The even better part, the 3D ultrasound pics!

10.9.11 Envy

Completely impressed by this woman! Running a 1/2 marathon at 17 weeks is nothing compared to this!
Berto & I both vowed this weekend to run the Chicago Marathon in 2012. Hopefully we can figure out a schedule with a new baby that allows both of us time to train and get in those long runs.

24 weeks, 3 days

I can't believe my 2nd trimester is nearing it's close! It's been very exciting to go from wondering, is that the baby or a bowel movement? to knowing, and even being able to see her little movements through my clothes. Between 7-9pm every night she really gets active. Berto likes to talk to her and try to get her to respond to his prompts with kicks and punches.
I am still having appointments practically every other week to watch her growth due to the SUA, but so far everything is progressing perfectly. The level 2 ultrasound wasn't what I thought it would be at all. I thought it would be in 3D, but it was exactly like the 20 week ultrasound. So much so, that when they asked if I had any questions, I said, "so why am I here? How was this one different than last week?" For some reason, it felt almost inappropriate to ask. The doctor definitely seemed as if I was the first person to ever question the necessity of the procedure. She said it was more "in depth." I tried to laugh it off on my ignorance for her sake, but I'm starting to get the feeling that I'm just being told to do all these things to run up my bill. Seriously, the screen looked exactly the same, and they took all the same pictures and measurements as the 20 week ultrasound. Only the doctor and location seemed different to me. I guess better safe than sorry, but I can't help feeling that some of this is just completely unnecessary. Like next week, for example, we have a fetal echo cardiogram so they can get a better look at her heart and all the chambers etc. The doctor told me that the level 2 ultrasound confirmed up to 80% that everything is good with her heart, but the fetal echo cardiogram can tell us up to 83%. REALLY? 3%? I have to take time off work and go to a special hospital for 3%? What is that really going to tell me or the doctor? And in the long run, what difference is it really going to make at this point in the pregnancy? And c'mon "fetal echo cardiogram" just sounds expensive... At least as of Oct 1st I'll officially be on Berto's good, union, government insurance.
Now for something more enjoyable - ultrasound pics!


20 weeks


My favorite of the ultrasound pics from 20 weeks - just look at that cute little smile!



3D ultrasound pic from First Peak Ultrasound at 17 week