A Million Years

... That's how long I feel like it's been since I've updated this poor, neglected blog. I thought an update was WAY passed due.

The last thing everyone read about was how my little bundle of joy has an extra appendage, creating the conclusion that Goy is a boy. Goy has in fact been Jack for almost 2 months now. Incredible how time flies, really. Just wish it would fly a little faster because I am SO over Organic Chemistry and Genetics. I can't wait to go home and spend a full month doing NOTHING. My mom says she's not going to let me do nothing, but we'll see what happens.

As of yesterday, I hit 26 weeks pregnant. According to BabyGaga, THIS is the last week of my second trimester. According to BabyCenter, NEXT weeks (week 27) is the end of my second trimester. I'm more inclined to trust BabyCenter. Seems more... professional. Either way, I'm on the home stretch of my second trimester, ready to enter into the third and FINAL installment of my pregnancy! This one goes by the slowest, so I've heard. But, thankfully, with school keeping me busy, everything seems to go by pretty quickly. Don't think this will change just because the Time Fairy knows I'm entering my third trimester.

I'm not sure if I expressed on here the worry we (my family and I) were going through thinking about summer from a financial point of view. Summer financial aid is not typically given with awards and grants few and far between. With summer classes at about $1,500 and campus housing around $2,500, no financial aid was going to be a HUGE deal. But my mom said, "Don't worry about it. We will find a way to pay for everything. God will provide." And He certainly did.

Housing Miracle: I had recently reconnected with an old friend from Orlando when I found out she was at UF. We hadn't spent much time together when she asked me what my housing situation was for the summer. After telling her my arrangements, she asked me if I would like to use her apartment (about a ten minute walk from classes) for the summer for the cost of utilities and only utilities. I said hell yeah, pretty much.

Financial Aid Miracle: When I expressed my distress to Courtney, she told me that I still could apply for summer financial aid. So I checked the box that said, "Apply for Summer Financial Aid" and waited for a result. I got grants. Lots of grants. Over $2000 of grants. Go figure. Now I have enough to pay for my housing and my tuition all from grants. God's pretty cool, right?

Onto news about the baby.

My pregnancy has stayed very easy and simple with no complications. Jack is super healthy, a little on the big side (I knew BD [baby daddy] was going to have been a whale baby, making our baby a whale baby since I TOO was a whale baby), and already super fun :) I think he's doing some kind of dance in my womb, maybe it's the salsa, maybe it's the mamba. I can't decide. I know it's something zippy. I love going to my Doctor's appointments and getting to hear his incredible heart beat. I also know he's going to come out and Organic Chemistry and Genetics genius since it's what he gets to hear about ALL summer.

Today I had my first big scare. Well, it really started while I was sleeping. I woke up at around 3:30 am in horrible pain. It felt like what I would imagine to be a contraction. It didn't subside and then come back like they are supposed to; it was strong and steady for about 2 minutes until I finally decided to get out of bed. It stopped immediately. I didn't really think anything of it because I know that Braxton Hicks contractions are really common. However, I was informed the next day (today) that Braxton Hicks contractions aren't supposed to hurt. Then I got thinking about the fact that I hadn't felt Jack move for a while. I started paying close attention to my tummy while in class and afterwards, and still there was nothing. Normally he is practicing his dance routine while I'm in class (it's his only form of entertainment when I'm busy and can't talk to him, poke him, or prod him). I started to freak out and decided it was time to call the doctor. They transfered me over the Labor and Delivery in the hospital. The nurse I spoke with told me that I should come in to get monitored. So I found a ride to the hospital and got all hooked up to the monitor when the little trickster started moving around. Go figure. Turns out he is just as healthy now as he was before, and my "contraction" was probably caused by his body putting serious pressure on some nerves in my abdomen. Needless to say, I'm extremely relieved. I guess Jack just wanted some attention since all I've been doing lately is studying. "Mom... mom.... MOM! Okay, that's it... it's time to scare her into paying attention to me." Something like that, I would imagine.

In other news, my due date was changed to September 7th when I had my ultrasound. I was very happy about that because it gave me a a LITTLE more leeway with my summer classes-pregnancy debacle. My baby shower is still set for the 14th of August, and my registries are still at Babies'R'Us and Target listed under Alex Conte. There are a FEW things on an amazon registry, but mostly stuff that is on the other two, but at a lower price. OH! I bought Jack's crib :) Most of it was a gift (I was given a $100 check for the baby, the crib was on super sale for $150). I'm very excited about it. It's beautiful and a 4-in-1, so it should last Jack his entire life!

Just imagine it with blue bedding :) It's going to be spectacular. I'm super bummed that I have to wait so long to set it up ("we", mostly meaning my parents when I'm not visiting, are still living in the one bedroom duplex in the Island while our actual house is being rented out). But once August gets here, it's going up! I can't wait to get Jack's room put together. 

In other news, my family is starting to get excited about Jack's arrival. My mom is EXTREMELY excited. Whenever I meet someone new, she says, "This is my daughter, Alex; and this (pointing to my stomach) is my grandson, Jack!" It's really cute. My dad is also starting to get really psyched and he is very happy that there will be a guy to carry on the Conte name. My grandparents are definitely USED to the idea and they seem ready to meet the little guy. Overall, everyone is ready for him to get here! 

Well, I have to return to the droll life of studying. I hope I've talked about all the important stuff. Sorry it had been so long since I'd written! I'll try not to let it be so long until the next update :) Ciao! 

Could I Be More Excited?

I absolutely cannot wait for it to be at LEAST August 5th (marking the end of the summer semester when I finally get to go home for five months). I will sufficiently giant by then, with all of the horrible companions of pregnancy. My friends will include back pain, extra swollen feet, constipation, heartburn, acid reflux, shortness of breath, hot flashes, moodiness, exhaustion, and plenty more, I'm sure.

The big news is that I've set my baby shower date. It is August 14th :) I'm registered at Babies"R"Us and Target! Both of them are listed under Alex Conte. So exciting! I'm so impatient to meet little Jack. I can only imagine how handsome he is going to be.

New development? I've become completely freaked out thinking about child birth. I can tell that when I realize I'm going into labor, I'm going to cry just THINKING about the events that are in my pathway. Of course, Jack as the end result  will make everything totally worth it, but I wish he would just diffuse out of my body.

Other big news? My best friend (you know, the one I've known since she was born only a few, short months after me?) is having her second child. She is due two weeks after me. We've always dreamt about having babies at the same time and now it is actually happening! I'm super happy about that :) If she is having a girl, we are going to have her marry Jack. Prearranged marriages still happen all the time! ... Don't look at me like that. Of course I'm joking, but it would be lovely if they fell in love and got married. But, that is way down the road.

I must go now and watch "Modern Family" with Courtney. I love this show! Au revoir!

It's A....

BOY! If you didn't guess by the change of the blog name :) I'm so thrilled. Now that I know he's a boy, I think, deep down, I WANTED a boy.

It was incredible to see my baby up on the screen. It was surreal. I had to keep reminding myself that that was MY baby, that image up there was coming from INSIDE of me. It was the single most incredible thing I've ever seen. My mom was with me and my roommate, Courtney. The ultrasound tech checked all of his organs and we saw his little heart beating :) It was so cool. Jack's doing just fine, all snuggled up in there. I'm a week behind what I thought, so on Wednesday I'll be 19 weeks, instead of being 20 weeks today. My due date is now September 7th. I'm glad that it's a week later than I thought because that's not pushing it QUITE so close to the end of my summer classes. However, I am sad that it's not so close to my daddy's birthday. I was hoping Jack would have the same birthday. But, oh well!

So, here he is, little baby Jack!

I can't believe that precious thing is in my belly! I love him so much already. I can't wait to meet him.

Well, I need to get back to homework! Ciao! 

Goy's Debut

Today is the last full day that this blog will be titled "Goy's Debut". At 1:30pm tomorrow, I have my very first ultrasound! After that, this will be either "Stella's Debut" or "Jack's Debut". How exciting :)

On Friday, I had a routine prenatal check up and I got a recording of the heartbeat. Those of you who are friends with me on Facebook have already heart it. But, for the rest of you, here it is!
Hearbeat!

Well, I will post tomorrow after the ultrasound. Today is the last day to vote on the sex, so, if you haven't done it, now is the time!

COUNTDOWN CONTINUES!

Three days until my birthday and doctor's appointment! Can't wait to hear Goy's little heartbeat.

Then....... drumroll.......

SIX DAYS 'TIL MY ULTRASOUND!

Goy seems to be growing steadily.

Today, I'm 19 weeks pregnant. Goy's brain is designating specialized areas for smell, touch, taste, hearing, and vision. Goy weighs about 8.5 oz and is 6 inches from head to rump. Goy's arms and legs are the right proportions now! Goy's kidneys are still making urine and Goy is sprouting hair. Vernix caseosa (a waxy covering) is forming on Goy's skin to protect the skin from the amniotic fluid.

That's for those of you who don't have me on FaceBook.

Well, I have to get back to chemistry study. SO OVER THIS CLASS. The next time I post will probably be after my birthday. Thennnnn, it'll almost be time to call Goy either Stella or Jack!

I Have a Dream...

...that one day, all babies will be created equal!

Okay, so really, I did have a dream. It wasn't a dream meant to inspire, though. My dream won't make you wanna grab a picket sign, go to a restaurant and not eat, or put yourself at the end of a water hose nozzle next to biting dogs. But it might make you laugh.

As goes with most dreams, I don't remember the beginning. The earliest part I remember is the entrance of Stella. I was walking around my house, which seemed to be a very familiar place, like one of my old houses, when Stella just kind of plopped out. I must have told her that it wasn't time, so she went back in. This happened a couple more times. Maybe she found entering and exiting through my vagina to be entertaining. I'll never know. Finally, she decided that she didn't want to go back in, so Stella finally made her last trip through the birth canal. None of this seemed to hurt me. It was as easy as.... well... pie, as the saying goes. And I was just hanging out and walking around while Stella was doing this, by the way. I didn't seem to be very attentive to the fact that my child was being "born". Thankfully, JUST a dream.

So, I've we've discussed, Stella is now here... and walking around. Stella was not born a new born. No, Stella was probably around one and a half, maybe two. She was definitely walking, and she did communicate fairly well, as far as I remember. You'd think birthing a child the size of a one and half/two year old would be painful. Guess not. But back to the dream. So here was Stella, just kind of chillin' out with mommy like a big girl. I remember being kind of sad that I didn't get to have her in the newborn stage, or the beginning of the toddler stage, or experience anything that happens before the age she was at currently. But I also felt kind of relieved that it wouldn't be such a stressful start to being a mommy.

Next thing I know, there's a full blown cookout/get together going on at my house. Not sure how it happened or when it started, but I'm assuming it was a celebration for Stella. Since she wasn't a normal newborn, she got to enjoy the festivities, as well. I remember at one point being on one of those swinging bridges with her, but it was a play bridge, we weren't actually high up or anything. Then I remember her giving me a big grin through a railing, like she was on the other side of a staircase from me or something to that effect. Either way, I remember thinking about beautiful she was and how much I loved her. OH! Something totally weird, she had a super blonde head of thick, beautiful curls that women would DIE for.

The curls were like that, but about shoulder length on her and super blonde. Of course, no child of mine would be super blonde. I guess she could have incredible curls, though. I remember her being a beautiful child (of course I'm gonna think that any child of mine is beautiful), but, other than the hair, I don't remember specifics.

Sometime during the get together, I went to put Stella down for a nap. A thought came to my dream mind that I felt like she had been in my life forever, but it was all still new to me at the same time. As I was laying her down my bed, I realized that I was in my old room from the house we (mom, dad, sister, and I) lived in in Maitland. We moved out of there and left for Colorado right after I turned fifteen, so it was shocking, and wonderful, to be back, especially since I've driven by there in the past three years and the entire house has been torn down and rebuilt. Assholes.

One part stands out to me, and I can't remember if it was before or after the nap. But I remember feeling like I was a bad mom at one point, because Stella was doing something kind of dangerous and someone had to tell me to go get her. I should have been paying more attention and it made me feel really terrible. I think it was when she was looking at me through the railing, as I described earlier. Once againt, Thankfully it's JUST A DREAM.

Also, like most dreams, I don't remember it ending. I imagine it ended abruptly due to my alarm going off, but perhaps not. If anymore comes to me, I will add it to this update.

I feel like this is kind of a milestone because this is the first dream I've had about the baby itself after birth, and not just about being pregnant. Also, I know she was Stella in this dream. Obviously, she was a girl. But I also called her Stella. She knew this was her name. How cool is that?

I'll leave you with a quote:

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

Amen to that. You tell 'em, MLK.

It's A Good Thing...

...that I really don't have much to say because this means Goy is healthy. My days have been going on as usual, with a bit more cramping, swelling, and lower back pain. However, for the most part, I can't complain.

I'm spending a long weekend at home. Courtney graciously let me hitch a ride with her :) If you want to do something, just call me!

My birthday/doctor's appointment is thirteen days! Even more exciting, my ultrasound is sixteen days away! I'm sure you are all sick of hearing a countdown, though. But I really have nothing else to say. I'll update later when something interesting happens. Sorry for being so boring!