24 weeks

Supposedly, this is what little Ella is lookin' like these days.

When I think about it, 24 weeks sounds like I'm getting "closer". But Mike is quick to remind me that there is really "almost four months to go". Ugh! I prefer to think of it in weeks, because TO ME it sounds shorter that way. Yes, I am capable of doing the math, and realize my husband is right, but thinking I only have sixteen weeks left sounds much better.
So, at 24 WEEKS, I am noticeably pregnant. Once you become obviously pregnant, the questions start coming: "have you been tired?", "is Jaycoby excited about the baby?", "how are you feeling?", etc. I thought I would take this opportunity to answer some of these questions.
1. Have I been tired?- I have moments when I get sleepy, but mostly I am too busy to give in to my tired spells. I have never been a big napper, so I have to be totally wiped out to go to sleep. In my first trimester I slept more, but I think I am past that point of exhaustion. I do have my days that I can't fight off the dozies if we go for a long drive, but mostly I'd rather spend my down time updating my blog, checking my facebook or organizing Ella's nursery.
2. Is Jaycoby excited about the baby?- Jaycoby HAS come to terms with the fact that he is having a baby sister and not a baby brother. Really, it didn't take him long to get over it. He regularly kisses my belly, tells Ella he loves her and asks questions about her arrival. He is fascinated with how the doctor will get Ella out of my tummy and is concerned for mommy, because he knows that I am going to have to "push really hard and that it is going to hurt my bottom". Couldn't have said it better myself. Lol
3. How am I feeling?- Overall, I am feeling pretty good. I really want to be a trooper and say that this was an easy pregnancy, but weird things keep happening and they cannot be ignored :). For the last couple of weeks, I have had random, sharp pains around the area just behind my belly button. The first time I felt it was two weeks ago and then I didn't feel it again until last Tuesday. Tuesday it was tolerable, Wednesday it was sharper and Thursday night it was pretty bad. I called my doctor and they recommended I go to the ER just to make sure it wasn't my appendix. So we went. Long story short, the doctor said I have a tear in my abdominal wall, which could also be a hernia (he did not go into the details of how this could affect my labor, which is a question I have been asked a lot). Thankfully, he didn't feel a hernia protuding and thinks that it could heal itself with rest. This proves to be a difficult task as a mother. I've found that I bend over A LOT and it is hard to minimize that activity (putting away laundry, picking up toys, unloading the dishwasher, etc.). I think the doctor should've written me a prescription for a maid! For now, we are making do and I mostly don't feel the pain at all. If it flares up, it's usually in the evening, and I can just lay on the couch and whine to Mike about it. I'm sure he loves it! I do feel some pressure to rest, because it's not like my belly is going to be getting smaller any time soon. And the more my belly grows, the higher the chance of the tear getting worse.

The most important thing is that little Ella seems to be doing well. As I sit here and type this, she is wiggling around in my tummy. I just pray that she continues to develop and grow like she's supposed to and all of the other stuff doesn't really matter!