Flor Monterossa
(POZ November 1999)

AGE: 37 TESTED POSITIVE: 1989 NEW ROLE: A year after her just-barely-showing POZ profile, she's the proud mama of Jonathan Ignacio Ahumada, who weighed in at seven pounds February 18 at UCLA Medical Center. "I call him my little fountain of joy, because when I look at him all my preoccupations become hope for the future." She's also POZ en Español's fall cover girl. SPECIAL DELIVERY: Mom took Combivir the last trimester and chose a C-section because of concerns about the baby's heart rate. During labor, mother and son got a Nevirapine drip, and for the first six weeks little Jonathan took AZT. NEGGIE NEONATE: Jonathan's five HIV tests so far have all been negative. One more and he's home free. FLOR AND FAWN: "I hardly sleep, but not because he keeps me up -- I just watch every little breath he takes. I'm in love all over again." HEIR APPARENT: "My partner, Ignacio, has five siblings. They all came to the hospital and everyone hugged and cried. Two years ago, they didn't know if Ignacio was going to live or die. The family kept saying he was dying, and now he's had a son." NAME GAME: On the hunt for a moniker that would mean something special for mom and dad: "Jonathan means life. It's also the name of my great-uncle who raised me. Ignacio means to ignite. Ignacio and I have started something precious together."