26 Weeks

Today, I am 26 weeks pregnant with Ryan. I'm sure I say this in every pregnancy update post, but I can't believe how fast this pregnancy has gone by so far. I can't believe we only have 14 weeks (at the most) until we finally get to meet our baby boy. 14 weeks might sound like a long time to some people, but having been pregnant before, I know how fast those weeks will go by, even if they don't feel like they are when I'm living them. I know when we're headed to the hospital to have him, the previous 40 weeks will feel like they FLEW by. That's certainly how I felt when we were on our way to the hospital to have Rylee, anyway.
Everything still seems to be going well so far. People ask me all the time how I'm feeling, and I'm not really sure how to respond, because in some ways, I'm feeling really good (I know the grammatically correct word to use there is "well" instead of "good", but I just think "good" sounds better), and in other ways, I'm almost borderline miserable (but a good miserable... a thankful miserable). I haven't had to deal with nausea or anything along those lines for about 12 weeks or so now, so I'm definitely thankful for that. However, this precious baby boy I'm carrying is GROWING, and my stomach and especially my back sure are feeling it. I have semi-sharp growing pains in my stomach every now and then. I am having sciatica pains every now and then, which certainly don't feel good, but so far still aren't as severe as they were when I was pregnant with Rylee (praise Jesus!). However, I am also having a lot of just plain ol' back pain from carrying around the oversized basketball in my belly. I think I am carrying Ryan lower than I carried Rylee, and I really can feel the strain of it on my back. I waddle everywhere I go... and I think I have been pretty much since the day I found out I was pregnant this go-around. I feel like if I don't lean back a little while walking, I'll just fall forward flat on my face. My stomach feels SO heavy sometimes. I get out of breath after 2 seconds of doing anything. I am ALWAYS having to stop and catch my breath. I am so out-of-shape. (Every time I say that to someone, they say, "No you are not! You're so tiny!" Trust me, people... I might be thin, but that does NOT mean I am in good shape. I haven't exercised (other than keeping up with Rylee every day) since 9th grade P.E. Yeah...)
Anyway, I am just feeling REALLY pregnant lately... which would make sense, of course, considering I AM, but it's just really starting to wear on me. I will definitely be ready to get this baby out of me. In the mean time, however, until it is time for him to come, I am thankful he is healthy and growing... DEFINITELY growing.
Here he is (in my belly, of course) tonight at 26 weeks:

See? I'm huge. It has gotten to the point where, when people ask me, "When are you due?" and I respond, "January 8th", they say, "Oh, wow!" and look at me almost sympathetically. Yeah. I am telling you, I look like I could POP at any second (and I feel like it, too). Hopefully he'll hang out in there for a while yet. It's hard to believe that he still has a LOT of growing left to do. Lord, help me!...