Jack Alexander, Here's To You

I just have to take a moment to say how much I love my little boy. He's my best friend, my favorite snuggle buddy, the ultimate dance partner, the most handsome date, and all around, without a doubt, the most amazing human being I've ever met. I truly can't imagine there being anything else in life for me as meaningful as being his mother. I feel absolutely blessed beyond measure and hope one day he will know just how much I love him. And even when he's all grown up and no longer needs his mommy, I will love him just as much as I did the day I first got to hold his perfect little body in my arms.

Sometimes, I'm afraid that he doesn't know how much I love him. And I know he doesn't because he doesn't really understand love. But I just wish that I could let him know that when I say "Mommy loves you", I mean "Mommy's heart beats for you"; I mean "You are everything that's good in me"; I mean "There is no other living thing on this earth that is more precious to me than you." I wish he could understand that when Mommy says no, it is BECAUSE I love him unconditionally. Sometimes, when I look at him, I honestly feel like my heart is going to burst. How could I have been so blessed? How did God see fit to honor me with such an amazing life, that I get to care for this little boy?

There are times during the day when I think about being in court, in a dispute about whether or not I should be able to have my baby always, and I just want to sob: just lay my head down and cry until I can't cry anymore. Would the tears stop? The idea of any amount of time, 2 hours, 12 hours, a day, a week, where I'm FORCED to hand over my child is unbearable. We've been inseparable for almost two years, why should we have to start now? I'm thankful that God is my cornerstone, the shoulder for my weary head, the Savior of my weary heart. How I could get through this without His love and grace is unimaginable.

Whatever happens, he will always be my baby and I will always be his mommy. It's true what people say, having a child is like having your heart run around outside your body. It can be scary, but I will never experience a greater, more intense love than this. Jack Alexander, you are my treasure and I love you from the very tips of your curly, blond hair to the soles of your soft, ticklish feet.

Holding Jack (with assistance) right after my surgery.

Getting to really hold him for the first time, unassisted. 

My precious baby, brand new

<3

The Day Approaches!

We've been in the holiday season for a while now (according to my calculations <2+2=4>, it starts right after Halloween) and tomorrow is the first big day. Presumably, everyone will sit down with loved ones to eat Thanksgiving dinner (which is an utterly inappropriate term since my "dinner" always starts somewhere around one. Let's be honest with each other, that's lunch time) and, after a long day of cooking (or food-ordering), enter into a time of genuine merriment and face-stuffing. The gorging will be followed by reclined chairs filled with people in unbuttoned pants succumbing to a tryptophan induced coma. Eventually, everyone will regain their liveliness and the festivities continue with dessert and more turkey munching. If you're like my family, you just graze for the rest of the day, lounge around, maybe watch some movies, and just spend some good time together. At some point we may clean up (or... we may not). 

What's the point of all this? Why do we eat until bursting to celebrate being Thankful? I honestly don't have any profound reason for this. Perhaps it's because we're enjoying the spoils of our hard work: hard work to make the money to buy ingredients and food, hard work to cook such a big dinner, hard work to be around family all day without mutiny, the hard work you'll be expected to do once you go back to work/school/SAHM/whatever you're expected to do daily... We're thankful for the people that provide the funds, the one who provide the delicious meal, the ones who provide sanity when you're about to stab a fork into your drunk uncle's hand (just to clarify, this does not apply to my uncle), and the ones who perform all the tasks that we have no desire to do.  Or maybe because we just like to eat. I think it's probably the latter. I mean, c'mon,  we're Americans (although, I am eating with a German couple and British couple tomorrow. My mom likes to invite anyone and everyone for Thanksgiving, something that I've always really loved about her). Whatever the reason for our feeding frenzy, we're thankful and tomorrow is the official day to express that thanks. 

All in all, go see your family. Love them. Hug them. Talk to them. Tell them you're thankful for them. And enjoy the turkey.

***

Here's your science word of the week (I know it WAS science word of the day, but since it's been a week since that day, we're just gonna adjust accordingly):

Trophic Cascade: an ecological phenomenon triggered by the addition or removal of top predators and involving reciprocal changes in the relative populations of predator and prey through a food chain, which often results in the dramatic changes in ecosystem and structure of nutrient cycling (Encyclopedia Britannica).

Basically, if you have an animal (A1) that eats an animal (A2) that eats a plant, then the more A1 eats A2, the less A2 in the ecosystem, so the less the plant is being eaten, which will increase the plant population. There can also be a bottom-up effect where the abundance of the plant can inhibit or aid in population growth of A1 and A2! I don't know about you, but I think this is really cool.

***

This is going to be the last topic of the day: Jack and I had our family pictures done the other day. This is something I've been wanting to do for a while and I'm glad to say they turned out beautifully (not that I expected any differently). So I'm going to do some shameless plugging: If you need any family photos done, my friend Julie Brock does absolutely amazing work. She did Jack's one-year old pictures and I didn't even look at other photographers when it came time for our family pictures. She is fun and will go to all sorts of lengths to make your child smile for the camera. She can do shoots in her in-home studio or an on-site shoot. Her prices are reasonable , her photos are beautiful, and she runs LOTS of specials. She is currently running a Black Friday special that can be found on her Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/JulieBrockPhotography). I highly suggest her to EVERYONE. She is also thinking about doing wedding photography, so keep her in mind for that, too. And now, you can check out our family pictures :) Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Rebirth

With a title like "Rebirth", one would expect this to be deep and empowering, insightful and thought provoking, even inspiring.

I don't think I'm going to go in that direction today. I've already changed a poopy diaper and said "nummy nummy" so my depth at this time is preeeeetty shallow. We're talking kiddie pool shallow. 

I'd like this blog to be kind a living being, transitioning every day (or week... or month... depends on how often I can sit down and write) into something different. Fluid. That's the right word. I want to get suggestions for topics from you guys: what do you want me to write about? Here are some suggestions for your suggestions (it's like incepgestions... is that joke overplayed? I guess I don't really care).

1. Products I like for certain things (perhaps baby needs)
2. Politics ( I HATE to put this on here, but I'm just trying to give you an idea of what I'm looking for and how broad this spectrum is)
3. Animal behavior (wink wink)
4. Sex
5. Jokes
6. Insights
7. Advice on any topic
8. My life (assuming that's interesting to you)
9. My research (once again, assuming that's interesting to you)
10. Insert YOUR suggestion here!

Just be creative so I can be creative. Email me (aconte@ufl.edu), text me, or shoot me your ideas on Facebook. Let's have fun with this!

Okay, so onto my own topic: Jack. Since this blog originally started as a tribute to my little then-embryo, I figure he's a good "first" topic.

Let's dive right in. I picked up more of Jack's artwork today from school. That kid is an artistic genius. I'm telling you... he put eyes on his ghost and they are lopsided. Lopsided! How does he get these ideas? Such insight and passion. I'm not sure if everyone saw "Farm Scene", but it was truly an inspiration! He's probably the most influential artist of his age. I'd start investing in that kid now, if I were you. Make all checks payable to Alex Conte.

But no, really. I was told by his teachers at school that I should be proud of Jack because (and I quote), "he eats his crayons less often than the other babies." I am one lucky Mama! Imagine that I gave birth to such a creature. Also, when he's done with his sippy cup during meals, he puts it back in the cup holder of his tray. I'm pretty sure that constitutes some kind of awesome-baby prize.  (Of course I'm poking fun, but for those skeptics out there, I really am enormously proud of my kid). 

Oh, you want me to tell you more reasons I think my kid rocks? Okay! 

1. He gives high fives
2. He picks of the phone and says "Hi"
3. He likes it when I hang him upside down
4. He'd rather eat fruits and vegetables than pretty much anything else (except for chocolate... a man after my own heart)
5. He thinks I'm the bee's knees
6. He loves to give hugs to his puppies
7. He loves to give hugs to everyone!
8. Has anyone seen him run? Only the cutest thing ever. 
9. He turns the pages of his books at story time
10. He is the most well adjusted baby I've ever met (seriously)

Okay, I guess I'll stop at ten. 

I guess the information I'm trying to relay here is that my child is amazing. He is intelligent, loving, curious, adorable, and a bucket full of other great things.

I think a fun thing to do with this blog is a science word of the day (or week... or month... whatever). We'll start today out with an easy one:

Apoptosis: a genetically determined process of cell self-destruction that is marked by the fragmentation of nuclear DNA, is activated either by the presence of a stimulus or by the removal of a stimulus or suppressing agent, is a normal physiological process eliminating DNA-damaged, superfluous, or unwanted cells (as immune cells targeted against the self in the development of self-tolerance or larval cells in amphibians undergoing metamorphosis), and when halted (as by genetic mutation) may result in uncontrolled cell growth and tumor formation—called also programmed cell death (Merriam-Webster Medical Dictionary)

Layman's terms? When a cell knows that it doesn't have the right stuff to work or is harmful and just self destructs! 

Now, I'll leave you with this song.

Why this song? I don't know. Maybe because I love Marisa Tomei and Rober Downey Jr. Or just because I love Robert Downey Jr.... Yum. 

Cheers,

Alex

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!

Almost There

Yesterday, I hit 17 weeks pregnant. Only three more weeks 'til the halfway point! Every time I go through another week, I feel like I've accomplished something. Here's what I posted yesterday for 17 weeks:

Today, I'm 17 weeks pregnant. Goy's skeleton is hardening into bone. Goy is about 5 inches from head to rump and weighs 5 ounces. Goy's sweat glands are starting to develop AND Goy can now move his/her little joints.

Here are some pictures from the other day. All taken 16 weeks, 6 days.



I should start to feel Goy move soon. However, they say that if it's a person's first pregnancy, they could mistake baby movement for gas! I will probably be one of these people ha ha ha.

I will be home this weekend. Make sure to give me a call if you want to hang out. I'll be home Friday around 3ish and will be leaving Monday around noon. Then only one weekend stuck in Gainesville (which I will be spending apartment hunting with my rad roomie, Courtney) 'til I'm back for my birthday! Speaking of birthday, that's my next doctor's appointment. I may have already said this, but I'll make sure to get a recording of the heart beat up here so you can all hear it. Then, after Organic Chemistry, my mom and I will be on our way to Anna Maria. I think I'm gonna have a beach day Saturday with Britnifer and some friends to celebrate the start of my 23rd year on earth. Let me know if you want to come! I should be looking rather whalish by then, thanks to Goy's growing little body.

Well, this pointless class is almost over, so farewell!

Ouch

Back to school after a great weekend at home! Unfortunately, I'm really hurting today. I feel like my left shoulder/shoulder blade is going to fall off. I'm not sure if it has to do with my collar bone having been broken when I was little. But carrying my backpack is like torture. I'm sure it has to do with Goy getting bigger, with my body just changing in general. Speaking of Goy, the little boogar is going through a growth spurt and I can feel my uterus stretching, which is not a jolly feeling. AND I'm having weird intestinal stuff going on. I don't even know how to explain the feeling. It's in between my stomach and chest. It's almost like a bloated feeling. And I can't eat much or I'm just not hungry. I felt famished this morning and when I stopped to eat breakfast, I ate about a quarter of my food and felt like I was going to EXPLODE. I need a nap.

But let's talk about Goy. I changed the boy name. The change was inspired by my father, only because he HATES the name Jasper. When I told him my names, he was horrified. "Jasper? Why would anyone who had a choice of what to name their kid name him JASPER? That's not a good Italian name!" He said it with some humor in his voice. We aren't really concerned with the names being super Italian ha ha. But, I decided that I didn't want my dad to hate his first grandchild's name (assuming that Goy is a boy). Therefore, I've changed it to... DRUMROLL... Jack Alexander Conte. And what I love even MORE is that his initials will be J.A.C. I was thinking about Jude, but I've just ALWAYS loved the name Jack. My mom has decided (if Goy is a girl) that her nickname will be Snack Pack, all derived from her initials, SNC. Gotta love my momma.

In other news, my 22nd birthday is just around the corner, about two and a half weeks away! On my birthday (the 8th) is my next doctor's appointment and I will hear Goy's heartbeat again. This time I will make sure to get a recording and post it on here so you can all hear it. Then, three days later (after a weekend at home celebrating the start of my 23rd year) I HAVE MY ULTRASOUND! Exactly three weeks from today.

I'm getting bigger and bigger everrrrry day. I'll make sure to post some belly pictures soon. That's all I have for now! Ciao!

Sweet Tooth

I made the worst decision of my LIFE a couple days ago. We are doing this project in Health class where each student has to do something as a "lifestyle change" for three weeks. It can be adding exercise, smoking less, eating differently... you get the point. WELL, I chose to give up sweets and anything with excess added sugar. And, to add to it, I bet Ben that I could do it. WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?!?! What pregnant lady wants to give up warm cookies, milk chocolate, gooey oatmeal with lots of brown sugar, highly processed foods with lots of unneeded sugar... KETCHUP?! I love ketchup. I eat it on eggs, I eat it on chicken (any chicken), I eat it with steak (depending on the cut), fries, hamburgers, hot dogs, meatloaf, and I can't even force myself to eat fish without ketchup. The list could go on. Not to mention, I have the world's largest sweet tooth. I adore chocolate, gummies, licorice (only red, not black... ewww), ice cream, or just a spoon full of sugar (which doesn't really help the medicine go down because it gets stuck in your throat). Thankfully, I've been really good at limiting myself from these delicious delicacies (or delicious, generic, sugary, empty calorie products) so that I don't gain extra baby weight. But to cut myself off completely? What was I thinking? I think the pregnancy is making me lose it a little... maybe I'm not all there. MAYBE I'm using too much brain power towards school and the baby, and I don't have any left for regular life. Either that or something unnatural influenced my decision. And what's even worse: I'm going home this weekend (I'm already all booked, so don't ask to hang out!) and my old job has the BEST FREAKING COOKIES EVER (since they got the new baker). They are ooey, gooey, melt-in-your-mouth, and absolutely tasty. I crave them. I love them. I might as well dream about them! If Ben weren't cuter and more talkative than the cookie, I might have decided to date the cookie instead (however, that would have been a short lived relationship. I don't think it could have lasted after the cookie past through my digestive system). Alas, I might have to lose this one...

On a different note... 165 days left until my due date! Also super exciting, 24 days left until my ultrasound. I can't wait to see my little baby on that screen (and find out if Goy is a boy or girl). This is going to be a BIG first in my life. I imagine that nothing will ever quite match the feeling I'll have with my ultrasound to see my first child. And I'm not sure if I could possible be more excited. Any moms out there, how did you feel at your first ultrasound?

Well, class is about to get out (have I ever mentioned that this is a boring, pointless class), so I bid you adieu! Have a fantastic weekend, I know I will.

Time is Flying

I think today has been a good day. I got to sleep until eleven (thank God)! Goy and I have been in great need of that. I did a lot of homework for Health class. I forgot that Buggy ruined my scantron for my midterm, and was rudely reminded today when I went to fill it out. I got to tell my teacher that my dog really did eat my homework. That's a dream come true.

So, I had to fill out a new one after class. Then, some of us from class, did a trivia thing to raise money for March of Dimes and I actually had a really good time and met some cool girls. We ended up with zero points after betting all of ours, but who cares?

I believe in my last post, I mentioned the new toy box (currently being used as a chest in my room until Goy gets here) that my mom bought us at a garage sale. Here's a picture!

It's so practical and I love it! It's not girly or boyish, so it works really well since I'm not sure which Goy will be (only 27 days left 'til I find out!).
For those of you that don't have me on Facebook, here's today's big update: I'm officially SIXTEEN weeks pregnant! I can't believe how fast this is going. I remember how excited I was when I hit eight weeks, because that felt like a milestone to me. And now I'm DOUBLE that! Before I know it, I'll be twenty weeks and will no longer be calling my baby by the name of Goy, it will be Stella or Jasper.

As of today: Goy is starting to grow toenails! ♥ Goy's heart is pumping about 25 quarts of blood a day through the tiny 4.5 inch body (from head to rump). Goy weighs about 3.5 ounces. In the next few weeks, Goy will double in weight and add a few inches to body length. In the next few weeks, I'll start to feel Goy move. I CANNOT WAIT TO FEEL GOY MOVE! It's going to be incredible.

My bump is starting to get bigger. I'll take pictures soon. I'm hoping that this "fat or pregnant" stage is ALMOST over. It should be since Goy's about to start growing really fast. I'm happy that my belly is growing because that means Goy is growing which is usually a good sign of a healthy baby :)

Well, it's time for me to say goodnight. I have a long day tomorrow. Au revoir!

OMGOODNESS.

Wow. I can't believe how long it's been since I've written. I'm really sorry. I know I said I could write every day over spring break (and I could have) but I was having so much fun doing NOTHING! I had a great time over spring break and I wish I had another week left. And I'm so behind on everything. EVERYTHING!

Goy and I got a lot of rest this past week. Or maybe we didn't. I'm not sure. We definitely hung out with a lot of people. And met some new people. And started great relationships :) Also, my mom bought Goy a toy box that I'm using as a trunk in my dorm room for now! I will upload a picture later.

Tomorrow, I will be sixteen weeks pregnant! And today marks exactly four weeks until I find out if Goy is Stella or Jasper. I'm so excited.

Well, I'm about to get out of class, which means I have to wrap this up (ha ha, oops). When I get time later, I'll write more. Sorry for the hiatus!

FINALLY!

I have sufficient time to write a nice, long, blog.

I got home Friday evening around ten, thanks to my ride, Joe. That's an interesting story... the way I got the ride, not the ride home itself.

How I Got Home: My mom informed me weeks ago that she wouldn't be able to pick me up for spring break. See, none of this would be a problem to begin with if my car hadn't broken down for good the first time I went to go home. But, alas, that DID happen, so it DID cause a problem. Like I said, my mom couldn't pick me up. Her hospitable self had been working on a wedding (it took place yesterday) for days and didn't have seven hours to share with the road to and from Gainesville. I told her that I would probably be able to hitch a ride with my rad roomie, Courtney, since she lives in Sarasota. However, Courtney had the audacity to not go straight home for spring break. Imagine that! So, my mom expressed her stressed schedule to a friend of hers with a "to top it all off, Alex doesn't have a ride home..." Well, apparently her friend's son goes to school in Georgia and was going to be on the road home that day, as well. Super weird part: he and my roomie went to school together. So, needless to say, I hitched a ride with him.

After I arrived home, I spent a couple hours with Kalli. However, my pregnant self doesn't like to stay out super late, so I was home and in bed by 12:30 am. Saturday (the next day) I ended up helping with the wedding.

How I Got Roped Into the Wedding: Needless to say, I hadn't done laundry in a while. A big reason for my lack of laundering was due to my enormous, disgusting, horrifying Organic Chemistry exam that took place at 4 o'clock pm on the last day of school before spring break. HOW AWFUL. But back to the laundry... Like I said, I was too busy studying night and day to do laundry (plus, why pay to do it at school when you can take it home and do it for free?) So when I woke up Saturday morning/afternoon decided to call my mom and ask her if I could come do laundry at the house where the wedding took place (it's actually our house, but we are renting it out for season and staying in a little one bedroom apartment/duplex on the Island.... thank God for my little dorm room!) Yes, indeed, I could come over and do laundry. I got there at about noon, noon thirty... and didn't leave until 8 that night! Ask me why. Okay, I'll tell you... While my laundry was in the process of being laundered, I decided that I would help with some of the food prep. My mom always helps me, so I figured that I would help her. Well, I ended up actually having fun helping. So I stayed for a little while longer. Then, I decided that I wanted to watch the wedding ceremony (which almost made me cry even though I didn't know the bride or groom at all... it's just my pregnancy hormone... sigh...). Then I decided that I couldn't miss the reception! Why leave at the most fun time? Needless to say, I ended up helping throughout the whole wedding. But I had a lot of fun and I got to help my mom and hang out with her. I tell you what, though... my feet and my back were absolutely killing me. Goy's little (almost) 4 inch self is really taking a toll on my comfort. But, it will all be worth it. And helping my mom was worth the pain. I love to see her in her element, doing what she loves with the help of people who love her.

I got my Medicaid cards the other day. I was wondering why I had received two envelopes that said something about Medicaid cards being enclosed... until I opened the first one and saw that it was for "Baby of Alexandra Conte". HOW CUTE IS THAT?

Today, I'm getting my hair cut, thank God. It's been long awaited. I'm getting rid of all this nasty, dead hair. Then dinner with Lori, Johnny, and Aiden :) Loving Spring Break.

Well, that's really all I have right now. Not much of a baby update, but there isn't much to say. I believe Goy is doing swimmingly (yes, pun intended) and my belly is getting a little bigger, but not noticeably. I'm still in the "is she fat or pregnant?" stage. Oh well. "This too shall pass"... right? Au revoir!

P.S. How far along should I be when I have my baby shower?

Spring Break!

Thank God, it is almost here. Twenty four more hours and I will be free. First, I have to get through two morning classes and my 4 o'clock Organic Chemistry exam (fingers crossed that I do well on this one! The last one was not so pretty). I'm ready for a time of rest and relaxation (although I do have some homework to do over the break). My plans consist of no more than bbqing, going to the beach, and whatever comes my way. Goy and I are ready for some sunshine and friends :) Then, upon return to school, I'll only have four weeks 'til my ultrasound!

Well, off to Orgo tutoring. Hooray! Not.

Not Much Time...

...But I'll do a really tiny update.

For those of you don't see me on Facebook:
(This was from yesterday). Today, I'm 14 weeks pregnant. It is the start of my second trimester! Goy can squint, grimace, pee, frown, and MAYBE even suck little thumb. Goy is about 3.5 inches long. Goy weighs 1.5 ounces. Goy's body is growing faster than the head, now. Goy is also starting to grow hairs! Also, Goy's liver is making bile and Goy's spleen is helping to make red blood cells. Goy's hands and feet are about half and inch long :)

Also, I was subjected to a presentation on a Summer B study abroad program in Rome. I want to go so badly and, unfortunately, cannot since I'm not allowed to do much travel past 30 weeks pregnant (The trip would go from June 26th to the August 5th). August 5th will put me at 36 and a half weeks. As cool as it would be for Goy to have dual citizenship (since the possibility of going into labor a little over three weeks early is great), I don't really want to be an ocean away from my family and friends on the scariest, yet happiest, day of my life (so far). Plus, money is an issue. I can't just pull $4,500 out of my butt, although that would be rather lovely (not to see, but to do). So, I've resigned myself to the fact that I will have to wait 'til next year and, when the time comes, find someone to watch Goy for 6 weeks. Perhaps this is where baby daddy's major role will come in.

Well, unfortunately, this is all I have time to write. I'm really sorry. However, spring break is only two days away and I will be able to write at least once a day during that time. Ciao!

P.S. This is my first post in March!

Enough About Me...

MORE ABOUT BEING PREGNANT!

Tuesday, March 1st, marks the end of my first trimester. Can you believe it? I tell ya one thing, being pregnant sure has tried my patience. Throughout my life, patience has never been a popular weapon in my aresenal. I'm just not very good at being patient. However, never in my life, has it been harder to wait. Unfortunately, unlike other things that require patience, this process cannot be hurried and the outcome cannot be forced to arrive more quickly (for the most, and safest, part) than at its own, sluggish pace. I am, along with every other pregnant woman and anxious fathers/father-to-be, subjected to the prospect of a FORTY WEEK WAIT (which can vary, as most people know). When we learn about pregnancy, we are told that it is a 9 month process. This is a lie. It is much closer to ten months. To be fair, two to three weeks are dedicated to a small time before your conception, starting with the first day of your last period. But, still, WE ARE PROGRAMMED TO THINK NINE MONTHS!

I see women who look like they are going to birth an elephant when they are 30 weeks pregnant. People say, "Wow! You look like you're ready!" Truly, they look like their child is MORE than ready and about come out moody and pimply, tweenaged and ready to go through puberty. You can only imagine that they will have reached young adulthood by the time those last ten weeks are finally over. I realize that I will probably be one of these women. Why? Genetics. People thought my mom was going to go into labor right in front of them and produce a set of cooing triplets. Perhaps they were saddened by the fact that, no, only one child was going to come out, and probably not for several more weeks. That child was me. Now, I was a big baby, but not monstrous. The average weight for a newborn baby is 7 pounds, 8 ounces. I was 8 pounds, 13 ouces. Although not quite the feared 9 pound baby, I was still rather big. My older sister and I were both the same weight and length (20 1/2 inches long) when we were born. My mother thought they had mixed up the records when she was told my weight and length, since we were both born in the same hospital. I'm also sure that, in order to spite me, my baby's father will have been an enormous elephant baby as well, making my pregnant belly (and birthing pain) that much more extreme.

However, God bless genetics as well. My mother came out of pregnancy with no stretch marks, having gained only thirty pounds (which she easily shed because she is the most incredible mommy ever, and I truly hope that I'm like her with my children [and not just with the weight loss]). My grandmother's skin and weight was rather resilient, as well. Even MORE spectacular, both my grandmother and mother had extremely short labor. When I first found out I was pregnant, I asked my mom about her labor with my sister and me. I was a C Section, but my sister was natural birth (and I mean ALL natural without any painkillers). She said, that for both of us, she was in labor for an hour and half (I was an emergency C Section, thankfully with just enough time to give my mom the proper pain killers so she could be awake when I was born; however, since it was an emergency, my mother was 10 cm dialated and ready to push by the time they decided she had to have a C Section). For my sister, she was only pushing for thirty minutes. So I am SUPER excited that I won't have the dreaded 20 hour labor with 2 hours of pushing.

Even if I am in labor forever and a day, I KNOW it will all be worth it. I can't wait for Goy to get here. I'm starting to have images pop in my head of what little Goy is going to look like and, if I do say so myself, they have all be EXTREMELY cute. I see lots of thick, brown hair in my future, as well as big brown eyes (although, they could be blue. I have blue eyes in my family, as well, so perhaps this recessive trait will come out). I wonder if Goy will look like me...

Shameless Promotion

A friend of mine confessed yesterday that she really digs my blog. In fact, this is what she said:

"Oh my gosh I am so behind on reading your blog. It's wonderful, you know. You should probably be a writer. Make it into a book, something like that. It's gold I tell ya, GOLD."

She also suggested that I do some promotion for my blog:

"Well we should work on gettin it out there!!! :P you're onl[y] a third of the way through, there's many more blog to be written!!! Many more opportunities to get noticed"

So, here it is, a start to my promotion. If you like reading my blog, that's incredibly awesome. I enjoy writing it, so we make a good team. My purpose in starting this blog was not about entertaining the masses and possibly getting my foot in the door to the writing party. I started it in hopes that friends and family would read it and stay updated (partially selfish, seeing that I didn't want to repeat the same facts and stories over and over again). However, if something more can be accomplished from my blog, then who am I to deny it such success? Therefore, I've decided to promote.

SHAMELESS PROMOTION IDEAS

Idea #1: If you like and read my blog often, become a follower. This helps my blog to show up more easily in searches, and can also help my blog be recommended to other readers.

Idea #2: Share it with your friends. If every person who read my blog and became a follower shared it with 5 other people... well, you are all smart. You can do the math.

Idea #3: I'm nominating my blog for Blogger's Choice Awards. Maybe take a second to vote. Here's the link. Vote For Goy's Debut! Goy is in four sections, so, if you're gonna vote, make sure to vote in all four.

Like I said, if nothing comes from this, I'm perfectly fine with that. My reasoning to begin the blog didn't include popularity. So, I thoroughly hope that everyone who reads this just enjoys it and is able to get a good bit of entertainment. Thanks!