Proof that no matter how hard you try, you can't plan everything

And you certainly can't control everything.

I think my kids are trying to teach me this lesson. Marion did a great job with her pregnancy. I hadn't even considered a c-section as an option for giving birth until I had a complete placenta previa with her. Then she had to up and enter the world five weeks early! She certainly put Mom and Dad on notice that things can only be planned and controled up to a point.

I got that message, loud and clear. I definitely mellowed a bit after giving birth to her and didn't stress out about things (as much as I did before I had kids).

But someone obviously thought I hadn't gotten the message.

Yesterday, at my 16th week pregnancy appointment, Brian and I learned that our second child's placenta had moved into another complete previa.

Talk about dumb luck.

Previas are supposed to be rare. This little one's placenta was clear and out of the way just four weeks ago. And yet, there it was yesterday. In the way.

My doctor was stunned. He asked me, in his accented English, "What are you doing? It was out of the way before. Are you pulling it down?"

Sir, if I knew, I wouldn't be doing it. Trust me.

So, as a result of this little surprise, several things happen. First, no more lifting for me. Good news, considering we move into our new apartment tomorrow. Not so good news for Brian though.

Second, we wait and see if it moves. Fortunately, 90% of all previas move when they are diagnosed this early in pregnancy. We are hopeful that we will be in the 90% and not the 10%. However, seeing as how it is a complete previa and hoping for it to move didn't work out too well for us last time, I would really classify it as tempered hopefulness.

Finally, we were forced into reality yesterday when the doctor informed us that if this thing doesn't move, I won't be able to fly. Which means no flight to Vienna in November and, sadly, no flight home for Christmas.

See? My second child is already a trouble maker. We are thinking of naming the baby "Hell Raiser". Think he or she would be tortured at school with a name like that?

So there you have it. Everything you never wanted to know about placentas. If you could spare some, I'd appreciate some happy moving placenta thoughts! I'd really like to go on our trips. I've been dreaming about a proper steak ever since we booked our flight back home. A nice, huge, slab of beef, cooked medium rare that won't cost an arm and a leg. Yummmmmmmmm.