Chicagomartins's Weblog

Lakeview Duggars

chicagomartins — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 03:32:13 +0000

So it is offical, we are the Lakeview Duggers. Every time we take the whole crew out in public with our double stroller we get the comments from, “You guys are busy!” to “Please tell me you’re not pregnant again!” I realize that having four kids in the city is not quite the norm but I don’t think it’s not doable. Here are a couple of examples why having four kids in the city is better:

1) You can take your baby monitor out while you mow your four feet square patch of grass.

2) Neighbors are babysitters even if they don’t agree to it.

3) Any kind of take out restaurant or a store carrying alcohol is within a four block radius.

4) You don’t have to worry about dogs because with that many kids the dogs are afraid of you.

5) Because of the close proximity of houses, when you yell at your kids with the windows open, DCFS comes over and gives you free parenting classes.

6) No one has a chance beating your kids in parallel parking when they get their license.

7) You get the satisfaction of changing a city restaurant’s “kids eat for free” policy

8 ) You can take your kids to a Midwest “ocean”. Seriously, at the end of the day they don’t know the difference.

9) You are like Willy Wanka on Halloween with so many kids and so many houses.

10) Your kids sympathize with you at the dinner table about city taxes.

See the resemblence?

chicagomartins — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 02:52:49 +0000

On some days I can…..

http://chaostimestwo.wordpress.com/

7 years down

chicagomartins — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 04:58:57 +0000

Today was our 7 year anniversary and we spent it like any other day. Kids all needing something at the same time, stepping over crap of all kinds and fighting over naps. Ahh I remember the good ole anniversary days. The first ones start out with a nice trip or an extravagant dinner, the later ones are mostly celebrated in Olive Gardens or Outbacks, and the last ones are eating the kids left over hamburgers and mac and cheeses while trying to stay awake. How things change. Although, I will admit I do miss having some time to myself (mostly bathroom time) I still would never go back. Even when you are taking your five minute relaxing bath, you just can’t beat your kids storming in and stripping naked within seconds because they see bubbles in the bath( kids still young enough to not be too damaging).

Honestly though, I have four healthy kids and all I can do is be grateful. Sometimes their Mom isn’t too “healthy” but they are used to it. It’s amazing how kids see life. They only see what is important from the beginning; parents, siblings, friends and playtime. I have 30 years up on these kids and I need to learn from them. Because in the end, that’s IS what is important.

We are the Martins

chicagomartins — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 15:36:38 +0000

Let’s just say this last pregnancy and delivery I went out with a bang. Not only were the last two months horrible, I had a horrible complication after I delivered. After my water broke at 2 am on March 18th, I went to the hospital for a c section. Of course this was the worst day to deliver because all of our volunteer babysitters were out of town so Nate had to drop me off at the hospital and drive the kids to my parents which was like 40 minutes away. He arrived right after the resident anesthesiologist used my back as a pin cushion while administering the spinal. Thinking the worst was behind me being completely numb from pain I had no idea what was in store for me. The c section went without a hitch, quick and with healthy babies. It was when I was moved to my room when it all happened. I have never experienced fear and pain like this. 8 nurses and a resident doctor surrounded me within seconds. Without being too descriptive, I had a hemmorage and lost almost half of my body’s blood volume. Because of a personal decision not to get a blood transfusion, it took me longer to recover.

So again, Super Nate to the rescue. Let me just sum up what our first week home from the hospital was like. 1 mom recovering from blood loss and a c-section, 2 toddlers with the stomach flu, and 2 newborn twins. Holy Hell! But I have to say, I can’t complain. Nate took most of the first overnight shifts so I could rest up and recover. How he manages to take everything on and stay sane, amazes me. Even with 2 hours of sleep at night he manages to work the next day and take care of the family when he comes home. As for me, ever see the exorsist? With two hours of sleep, I resemble the one scene where she is screaming and her head spins.

So moving on to adjusting to a family of six. I have to say we definitely get noticed when we are out in public. Since we were cooped up for some time, we decided to try a evening out at our local pizza restaurant. From the moment we walked in, people were staring and commenting on our clan that we had in tow. It is actually pretty funny how reactions to our family has changed. What once was compliments and smiles has now turned to pity looks and astonishment.

Since I will have many parental feats to experience balancing the twins and the toddlers I figured I would dedicate a blog specifically to that. So in the making is the blog, “Chaos Times Two” at chaostimestwo.wordpress.com which will record my journey of how I get through each day with two newborns and two toddlers.

Pray for me!

New website for the new family to come this month!

chicagomartins — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 18:24:49 +0000

I definitely thought it was time to change the outdated website I had up. I know it was pretty bad but I never really had the time to redo it. Since lately all I can do is pretty much sit and lay down, I decided it was time for my website to hop in the delorean to the future.

So family and friends, if you have any pictures you want me to post in the family and friends section just email them to me.

The month that I never thought would come is here! Sometime this month I will deflate and see my feet, not to mention sleep on my stomach again. As I dream of the blissfulness of a non-pregnant body, I am smacked into reality of two crying newborns that will accompany me at all times.

At least I will have my energy back and will be a lot lighter on my feet. I am pretty much couch and bed ridden these days. Standing and walking is just so painful that I can only go so far. My legs throb almost every night, even with my limited time on them. I still have the lovely shooting back pain down to my leg. Oh and I definitely have been endulging in some of the pain pills the Dr. gave me. It is just safer for everyone that I have some relief.

Hopefully the next post I will have the two girls home.

Partial Bedrest

chicagomartins — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 01:07:09 +0000

So as of yesterday I have been put on partial bedrest which is just resting when you can. I am not in bed all day, although I really have had nightmeres that I have had to call Nate at work because I couldn’t get out of bed or off the couch. My skin has stretched to the point that it is pretty much raw and the Dr. suggested I put chaffing lotion on it. Can’t wait for swimsuit season! I also have such extreme groin pain when I get up and walk that sometimes I can’t move. This past Sunday was the worst, I could not walk and just pretty much stayed on the couch. Turning at night has become so painful that I have actually yelled out a few times. The Dr. prescribed some pain killers that are completely safe for the babies but I decided only to use them when the pain is really bad. Not because I am worried about any effects but more worried about running out of them!

The big appointment is at 34 weeks where we get more of and idea what kind of delivery it looks like for me. Based on the weights 2 weeks ago, it looks like the babies will be around 5 pounds at that time so we are looking at a total of 10 pounds of just baby in me. Again, why I am saving the pain killers.

She also noticed how swollen I am getting so in a way I am a bit happy I am somewhat on house arrest. The first thing she said when she saw me was “Oh I can see your face is swollen these days!” Clearly I am not one of those beautiful pregnant women that glows.

On a happy note, I met a woman at my hair salon that had twins a few months ago. Her name was Lisa and she said she was not having any more kids and had so many clothes that she wanted to give to me. She wasn’t kidding, she brought over two large shopping bags of clothes and one full of diapers. After looking through these mounds of clothes with a lot of designer label tags, Lisa blushed and said “I have somewhat of a shopping problem.” It was so funny and I couldn’t be more appreciative.

Nate has also been so awesome, I swear I don’t know how he does it. Some days he goes until midnight nonstop. In the last couple months he has finished our basement room, organized the garage, cleaned out closets, does all the grocery shopping, cooking and laundry. Then he finally goes to bed and has a hippo next to him tossing and turning. Poor man.

Oh and I have offically joined the minivan club. I can’t wait until the Spring where I can see what that bad boy is really capable of.

Counting down the weeks, days, minutes, seconds…

chicagomartins — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 16:50:14 +0000

Okay I would like to say I am not an amatur when it comes to pregnancy, I would like to think I am an expert by now with this being my third one, but holy crap this pregnancy killing me! I have offically reached the hurdle of 30 weeks, which is the point that every pregnant woman looks forward to, THE 10 week countdown!!! And in my case even shorter since twin pregnancy doesn’t typically go past 38 weeks but I am not sure I am going to make it.

I offically get those looks now when in public where people are thinking, “Holy cow, she looks like she could have that baby at any moment!” Which of course reminds me that I do have 7-8 weeks left and I am not at the finish line. So what should I do? I could just hide out in bed because chances are at this point I would remain there until someone finds me and helps me out of bed. I am sure my husband would ignore the birds circling me due to by irritability lately.

Yep poor Nate has to endure another third trimester of preggowitch. Sometimes I do start feeling bad for him then I try to get up and walk and the concentration quickly shifts to catching my uterus from falling on the floor. I have to say though, he has been great. He has picked up my slack from laundry to dinner and taking care of the kids after a full day of work. On top of everything, he has to hear me complain constantly.

I can’t help it, I am in misery. The worst is not being able to do things with my kids like I used to. Getting them ready in the morning is a chore. I feel like I just ran a marathon after putting on their shoes. The days are so long now because I am trying so hard to do the littlest tasks. Seriously, anyone that comes up to me and touches my stomach or says something sappy about pregnancy will get seriously hurt.

Oh and to top it off, I have to adjust to being a minivan Mom. All my friends out there better not ignore me when I pull up in my loser cruiser, I will follow you and you won’t escape.

End rant.

Happy Holidays

chicagomartins — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 20:52:31 +0000

All six of us

All the ladies in the house….

chicagomartins — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 01:18:46 +0000

Yep, we got the confirmation, two more girls will be joining our family. AHHHHHHH!

Ofcourse I am happy to give Reilly sisters and that they are healthy but I also considered my health and mental stability when the teenage years come. Not to mention my poor little man is going to be the only boy. That kid is going to have a lot of makeovers and therapy in his future!

I have to also admit, I am truly tired of dresses, dolls, and princesses. Maybe since I have always been a tomboy at heart and loved my G.I. Joes and Transformers. So the thought of more pink in this house makes me cringe.

I am excited to have that big family I always wanted but quite terrified of the twins first year. I know how hard it is with one, I can’t imagine what it will be like with two! However, after the first year I know I will love seeing my kids play together.

Three months to go and knowing what labor is like with one, I am not sure the epidural will be enough for me. Maybe a bottle of Jack Daniels and an elephant tranquilizer will be in order…..

The ever growing belly

chicagomartins — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 22:33:41 +0000

For all of you that know me and my yo-yo weight roller coaster ride you know how difficult pregnancy is for me. The expanding waist line before my eyes makes me cringe. So, a pregnancy with twins is going to be an interesting journey. This time around I had to break out the fabulous fashionable maternity clothes a lot earlier(before 4 months, what is that?) There are still the blouses that I have in my closet that I refuse to wear yet. I am sure every woman that has been pregnant knows what I am talking about. They have some sort of divider, whether it is elastic or a cute little tie, right below your boobs so you look like an upside down muffin top.

Oh and if you think I am going to post pictures of how big the belly is going to get, not going to happen. Unless there is money involved or a life-time supply of (at the moment) italian ices, I will leave it to your imagination. But just as a reminder both of my kids were close to 9 ounds so think BIG.

Another new twist this pregnancy was the stomach flu hitting the family. Tons of fun that was. I either had barf in my hand or my face in the bowl, good times. I remember my sister-in-law caught the stomach flu from some diseased little midget (Reilly) when she was 8 months pregnant. I have no idea how she survived, I can’t imagine how bad that must have been! So sorry Liz, I will turn my back one of these days and you can “accidentally” decapitate one of her dolls for payback.

So as of right now just hanging in there. Haven’t felt any movement yet but I am sure it is right around the corner. Our 20 week appointment is in three weeks and we find out the sex of the babies. Not to mention I am more than half way done!

Will post after we find out!