35 weeks: Coconut

Source

Ahh coconuts.  This reminds me of my honeymoon.  Mr. Destructo was trying to knock a coconut from a tree with a plank he found on the beach.  He eventually succeeded in getting one after I nearly peed my pants laughing at how ridiculous he looked, cracked it open, and realized it wasn't ripe.  Good times, good times.  

Oh what I wouldn't give to go back to Costa Rica

How far along: 35 weeks.  This question is really redundant since I title the blog post with what week I am in.  I will actually be 36 weeks tomorrow though.

Total weight gain:  Up 24 pounds again this week.  I am wondering if weight gain will slow way down in the last few weeks like it did with Destructo.  I actually lost two pounds in the final two weeks with him.

 Maternity clothes:  Yes all of them.

 Stretch marks:  I have a few new ones on my hips. Please let my stomach be spared yet again.  Only a few more weeks to go.  Or less.  But not too much less since I did manage to get Destructo's bag packed, but my hospital bag at this point consists of a stack of four clothing items on my dresser and a mental note to bring the camera.

 Sleep:  A tiny bit better than last week but still sucky.  I am at least getting more two hour stretches so that helps.  I feel human like again.  I dread the newborn sleep deprivation torture all over again.  I am a really not nice sucky person when sleep deprived and my fuse is non existent.  This doesn't bode well for taking care of Destructo since a lot of days dealing with his shenanigans takes the patience of a saint.

Best moment of this week:  My baby shower/ sprinkle.  It was so fun to get together with family and friends and celebrate the baby.  And spending time with Destructo.  I am going to miss it being just me and him all the time.  I wish I could have had more time as a stay at home mom with him before the baby came.  I am loving getting to do school work and arts and crafts and outside time every day and I know the baby will throw a kink in that.  Not that I am not excited about the baby, but I just really wish I could have had a bit more stay at home mom to only one kid time.  

 Miss anything:  Not having some sort of pain and being able to freely breathe. 

Movement:   He has had quite a quiet week.  I guess he is running out of room in there and not moving as much.

Food cravings:  Still just milk like always.  Milk is so good.  Quite the conundrum for this lactose intolerant person.

Have you started to show yet:  I am a beached whale.

Gender:  Baby boy who will probably never have a name.  

 Labor signs:  Braxton Hicks and I had some pretty intense period like cramping two nights in a row that was so bad it kept me up.  A few quite painful contractions sporadically.

 Belly button in or out:  Out yuck.

Wedding rings on or off:  My hands are swollen enough now that I am not chancing it.  Same old, same old this week although I still can get them on my hands.

Happy or moody most of the time:   Excited to meet the baby, but anxious for time to pass and life to settle back into it's new normal once he is here.  I really hate change and I dread getting used to taking care of two kids and figuring out how to best manage Captain Destructo when I can't devote 100% of my time to him.  Oh and for sleep.  I like sleep.  I dread sleep deprivation if I haven't already mentioned that.

What I am Packing in my Hospital Bags

I am packing my hospital bags tonight.  I have one for me and my hubby, one for the baby, and a breast pump bag (just in case even though the hospital has them why not use my own?)  It sure does make this feel a whole lot more real.

Anyways here is what is in the baby's bag thus far.  First off it is in this awesome Carter's Fashion Tote Bag diaper bag.  This is the one I got with Kai and it has held up well thus far.  I have clothes packed for the baby.  With Kai, I didn't have any clothes other than his coming home outfit and actually made my sister pick some up when she came to visit.  I found I much preferred having him in clothes since I am sucky swaddler and it was easier to make sure he was warm that way.  This is newbie's coming home outfit:  

I love turtles.  I have the Carter's 2-Pack Stripe and Turtle Swaddle Blankets as well.  Plus the hats and matching socks just for the record.
There is a heavy fleece blanket for the car ride home packed right now although if it is warm by the time newbie comes that will come out.  His due date is March 26th which could be hot or cold.
I have baby mittens in there as well since newborn nails are typically so sharp and long.  There are some Gumdrop pacifiers and  burp rags.

Can you guys think of anything else I am forgetting?

As for the breast pump bag, I have the Medela Pump in Style Advanced.  In with it are new Replacement Tubing and Medela Spare Membranes since I have heard not to reuse those.  I have a few Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags just in case my milk comes in before I leave and I have another non latcher.  I have Earth Mama Angel Baby Natural Nipple Butter to soothe sore nipples.  I have Earth Mama Angel Baby Booby Tubes packed.  Even if I never use these for anything breastfeeding related, they have come in quite handy already.  I use them for headaches that I can't get rid of.  I have a few sets of Bamboobies regular and overnight in there and all the pump parts and a few different bottle sizes just in case.

Honestly if it is anything like last time, the breast pump will sit in the car the entire time.  But I would rather have it there and not need it than to not have it at all.  Finally I am bringing my Boppy Pillow.  This is so great for positioning small babies.

Well you guys have to wait for my hospital bag since I am way too tired to figure out what is going in that one tonight.  Tomorrow, tomorrow, there's always tomorrow.  I mean I am only 35 weeks, 5 days so hopefully I still have a little bit of time to get ready.

This post contains affiliate links which compensate Adventures with Captain Destructo with a % of the sale. Using these links doesn't cost you anything extra, but it helps support this blog and my family. Thanks!

It's Been Quiet Around Here

Sorry for the lack of blogging lately.  The end of pregnancy is rough.  Plus I have been in clean all the things mode since being a (mostly) stay at home mom.  I am still working one day a week although next week will probably be the last week I actually go in since it is getting harder to drag myself there.

Destructo and I went to the zoo Tuesday.  He loved that.  I did too for the first hour.  Then walking got hard and I kind of hated it lol.  He is getting to be such a big boy though.  He rode the kiddie train all by himself for the first time.  At one point while all the kids were watching animals, Destructo was pretending to shoot the turkeys.  He then gobbled them all up and said how full he was.  Yeah can you tell we are a hunting family?

Last night I was all set to work on a blog post about the different cloth trainers I have tried and my thoughts on them.  Then we got put under a tornado warning.  For the first time in five years we actually took cover.  We don't really have anywhere safe in our house unfortunately.  We sat in the hall and Destructo was strapped into his car seat with his bike helmet on.  He thought it was quite the adventure and pretended he was on a plane ride complete with making us pay him tickets.  Luckily nothing happened other than some high winds, hail, and tons of lightening.  

To top this busy week off, I am in last few weeks of pregnancy joy.  Or hell either way.  I am having lots of Braxton Hicks contractions and lots of painful cramping and not sleeping.  I literally see every hour on the clock.  This happened with Destructo and it just seems cruel to me.  Why would it be where you can't sleep in the last few weeks before you have a newborn and don't get to sleep?  That is so backwards to me.  Someone make it stop haha.

Finally, tomorrow is a busy day because it is my baby shower/sprinkle.  I am so excited to get together with family and friends to celebrate the fact that a new life is about to enter this world.  I can't wait.  The rest of the weekend is going to consist of doing all the last minute things I need to do to get ready for this baby.  I need to set up the swing and bassinet, finish getting the few things out of the attic and washing them, packing hospital bags for me and the baby, and getting the car seat ready.  Busy, busy, busy I tell ya.

On a final note if anyone reading this wants to do a guest post in the few weeks after I have the baby, I am definitely looking for some.  I have a feeling my blogging will be few and far between while I adjust to life with a crazy Captain Destructo and a newbie.  Just let me know!