Out like a soggy Lion

Well, it rained like cats and dogs here today. Not sure what that means. It rained on and off all day. April showers came early here in Wisconsin.

Well, John had a fever most of the day. That translates in him clinging to me and being ultra-uber whiny. I don't blame him, but his male genetic make-up of when you're sick its the end of the world gets a little old.

A couple of really exciting things in my life. Deal or no Deal is going to be auditioning for contestants on Wednesday so I'm going to go stand in line with the other hopefuls. But I have a trump card that most don't have - I have triplets and they and their older brother need to be sent to Parochial school until 12th grade. With inflation in mind, I've calculated that this cost will be just under $100,000 (like $99,000). This is not even including college. And the problem is that we're right on the cusp of financial aide. So if I get a job, the financial aide will go away.

So, wish me luck.

Another really exciting this this week is my babies birthday! They will be two on Thursday. Trying to take pictures of them by themselves is tough, but all together is impossible. These two year pictures will be very candid. Very.

And then Friday and Saturday is the FVMOM rummage sale and bake sale. I can't wait to get rid of the 10+ bins of clothing/toys, etc... and get some cash in my pocket.

And then the birthday party is Sunday. I've been singing happy birthday to them and Brooke just sits and is so coy and smiles. She knows I'm singing to her and its soooo cute. One of these days I'm just going to break down and cry because they are getting older.

Random Fact #8
I do not like April Fools day. I really, really dislike this day. I don't think its funny to pull a prank on someone just because of the day. I love a good sense of humor and funny stuff, but the day itself can just be over.

I live in my pajamas

I'm keeping this short since I just wrote a lengthy post about yesterdays travels.

I'm not feeling too bad. I'm hoping Tamiflu and the eight other medications I'm on are working. Scott was nice enough to let me rest this morning while he watched the monkeys. Jacob, Grandpa Callaway and he went to the hunting lands today. Jacob found some old antlers that a deer had shed. O.K. they are the same pair of antlers he finds everytime they go hunting. Scott plants them in the woods for him to find.
I think its the equivalent to giving a child little sips of alcohol when they are young so that they crave it as they get older.
John had a fever today. He laid on me when I was around. He probably has the Influenza A too. I guess I'll call the pediatrician AGAIN tomorrow. Jeez. I have taken my children's health for granted. This sick stuff is a lot of work.

My name is Jean and I have an infectious disease

I know, I know. You're thinking, did she expire? Did she get put on a 72 hour hold? Did her Internet go down?

Well, all those questions and more will be answered in this blog. Which counts as yesterdays blog because I blogged this in my head waiting in line at Taco bell at 11:45 p.m. last night.

What do normal people do on Saturday nights? Maybe go out to dinner? See a movie? Have friends over?
I go to the emergency room. I was there four Saturdays ago with Matthew. So in Friday's post I mentioned I was having problems breathing. It only got worse and Saturday night I couldn't eat without choking. So, I felt that was a good enough reason to go to the emergency room.
So when I got there I filled out the three or four pieces of information that they required. And they give you like, 2 inches to write your symptoms. So I wrote, Asthma, can't breathe.
Now, I know that this will put me on the fast track past those other lumps in the waiting room. But with the little space, those were my symptoms.
I was in the nurses chair to get other info and take my vitals within five minutes. The male nurse took my vitals and asked me to explain myself. I told him about my allergies, the gunk in my throat and all the medicine I was taking but wasn't helping me. I told him that when I tried swallowing food, I would choke, it was like my throat was swollen. I had problems talking and breathing.
The nurse was upset with me because I said I couldn't breathe instead of saying I had a sore throat. But I DIDN'T have a sore throat, I had a swollen throat. Two different things. So he kept going back to, "Well, you said you couldn't breathe, but your breathing seems fine." If I had more than a 2 inch by 2 inch space to write out my symptoms, I could have explained.
Anyway, I get into room #10, which luckily has a bathroom joined to it. I see the nurse, I see the doctor, I see another nurse, who happens to be there to poke my eye out through my nose. She's swabbing me for Influenza A because Scott got it a couple of days ago. The X-ray tech takes some pretty pictures of my throat. The nurse comes back, the doctor comes back. He tells me that the X-rays look fine and no tissue looks swollen, but I have Influenza A.
HUH???? He could have knocked me over with a feather if I already wasn't laying down on the table. Crap. I teased Scott for not getting a flu shot, even though this strain wasn't in the shot this year. How could I go home and tell him that I have Influenza A.

I thought about running away, I thought about not telling him, I thought of lying. I asked the doctor to admit me for observation. He said, "Are you serious?" and of course I said, "I have triplets, I need a good nights sleep." And he said, "You look better than most patients I see that have Influenza A." I told him, "That's because I got the flu shot." And he laughed.

I went to good ole Walgreens to pick up my prescriptions. My prescription card was not working, but the nice pharmacist got it to work by looking up Scott info. If I wouldn't have had my prescription card, my four prescriptions would have cost $394.00, but with my good old insurance through the Town it only cost me $60.00.
So, a couple of my prescriptions required food. So on my way home I saw Arbys. I went through the drive through. I SAW a woman in the service area. The drive through screen thing says "Welcome to Arby's" There are no hours of operation listed. I waited and waited and she must have just chose to ignore me because she was closing. I called her a bunch of names in my head. A regular roast beef sounded really good then.
So my next door restaurant was Taco Bell. Of course there was a long line at Taco Bell. So I had time to reflect on my day. And I blogged this in my head.

Is it over yet?

I woke up this morning not being able to breath. My allergies are horrible, probably the worst they have been since childhood. Combined with asthma, its not a good combination. I'm EVEN using my nebulizer, which I have not used since I had pneumonia over 2 years ago.

So, with that said, I'm glad the day is over. Scott is feeling slightly better. He probably only slept about 18 hours today, or at least laid in bed that long. Jacob still wants a new mama at times. He really knows how to push my buttons. He'll purposely create a mess. That really gets under my skin. I probably clean up more after him than the babies. I do make him pick stuff up and thats when I get the comment, "I want a new mama."
Matthew's toe doesn't seem to bother him. Makes me feel a little less guilty because I should have moved the computer where the babies couldn't get at it.
Brooke seems to be her normal self. She did lay around a little more today, but she didn't have a fever.
John is extreme. I think John, by his actions, needs some type of help. Whether its a physical outlet of some sort, I don't know. I'm still waiting for Birth to Three to call me back. I think he's got sensory issues and I'd just like to get that confirmed and learn how to deal with that.
I did chocolate dipping tonight. Making stuff for the FVMOM bake sale this next week. We have our annual rummage sale next Saturday. Boy, will I be glad to get rid of some of the kids stuff. And Scott will be happy that there will be more room in the basement.

Random #7 If I haven't said this before, I have anxiety issues. I need to be organized and write things down so I don't go crazy. And one of my issues has to do with messes. Which, as stated above, Jacob knows I hate the toys all scattered all over and he purposely creates a mess. I usually clean up toys at the babies nap time and bedtime each day. All 1,220 of them.

Wanted: new mom

My partner tested positive today for Influenza A. They shoved a foot long Q-tip up his nose. I'll bet those are the same Q-tips they use in the Women's health clinic.

This is how my day went.

7:17 a.m. The phone rings and wakes me from a dead sleep. Jacob was already up and answered it. It was my sister Joan at Sam's Club telling me that Carters sleepers were $2.06 a piece. (This was worth the phone call) but I couldn't get back to sleep

7:45 a.m. My sister-in-law brings my niece and nephew over for the day. (There STILL is no peep from the babies)

8:00 a.m. Finally all the babies get up. I could have slept in today until at least 8 a.m.
8:05 a.m. I call our doctor to get Scott in for an appointment
8:07 a.m. I feel Brooke's forehead and take her temp 102.
9:10 a.m. Scott gets back from the doctor, confirming that he has Influenza A. He did not get his flu shot, which may have lessened his symptoms, even though the flu shot did not have this particular strain in it.
9:15 a.m. I call Brooke's pediatrician. I tell them about her fever and tell them that her daddy has an infectious disease. They don't give children any drugs for Influenza A because of the side effects. So she just gets Ibuprofen and Tylenol.
10:20 a.m. I am getting ready to go shopping. I hear Matthew scream and scream. Scott tells me that Matthew smashed his toe on a computer. He must have pulled it over and it fell on his big toe.
10:30 a.m. I call Matthew's pediatrician. They'd like to make sure Matthew's toenail isn't purple and have a look at his toe.
11:20 Katie (my niece) and I are at the pediatricians. X-rays look good and Matthew gets a really nice pedicure from the doc.
1:00 p.m. Back at the same hospital for therapy. I wish it were the shrink, but its physical therapy for my neck and back - TMJ related.
3:00 p.m. Get back home to squealing John, the only baby up.
4:30 p.m. Jacob gets sent to his room for putting a hamper over Brooke and making her cry. He tells me he wants a new mom. He tries hitting me and kicking. He says a bunch of 4 year old hurtful things.
4:45 p.m. I go back into Jacobs room. I lay with him on the bed and talk about the incident. He really doesn't want a new mom. He says hurtful things because he's frustrated. Then as we are hugging and laying there, he asks, "Mom, do you have a baby in your belly." (For a second I thought he meant because I had gained weight lately) His hands moved over my chest and asked, "why do you have lumps there?" "Why are mine (Jacob's) so small?" "Why do you have to milk yours?" (Whew. He's just curious about the differences between boys and girls. He's not calling me fat.)
5:30 p.m. What hasn't John done today? He thoughtfully put a bunch of cars underneath the refrigerator. Used toys as a stepping stool to get at stuff on the counter. He will scream and scream just to get my attention. Not crying screaming - attention screaming. He pulls on Brooke and Matthew. He throws his food. He fights diaper changes.
5:45 p.m. I anxiously check my e-mail for news from the Birth to Three coordinator for our county. I e-mailed her two days ago to have John tested.
6:30 p.m. Brooke is tired. She lays on the couch with her blankie and holding a bowl of chips. John comes over and tries to force feed her chips. This ends up being a food fight and chips are all over the living room.
6:40 p.m. Mom wishes she had something to drink. But she vacuums up the chips instead.
8:45 p.m. All children under age 5 are in bed.
10:30 p.m. Mom blogs. She remembers the therapy today and the conversation about reducing stress. Makes a note to get a muzzle and some duct tape at the store tomorrow.

Pros and cons of triplet babies

My babies daddy got influenza. He came home from work sick today and has a fever and some chest/cough issues. As the good wife that I am, I ran to the store (I drove really) and got Ibuprofen, 7-up, Nutterbutters (those were for me), McIntosh apples and grapes. Then I hand delivered the medicine with a bottle of water and checked on him every so often. Jacob kept him company tonight too. He drew him pictures and brought him grapes.
I'm not really worried that Scott will pass this on to anyone here because we ALL got the flu shot this year. Sure, I know that its not covering all strains of the flu, but I can't resist bringing that up because I told Scott to get a flu shot.

On a much happier note, I got my baby fix today. A FVMOM mom came over today with her 4 month old identical twin girls. I got to hold one of them for about 1 1/2 hours. I got to feed and burp her and then she fell asleep on my chest. Oh heaven! Brooke loved the babies. Both she and John tried to share their toys with them. Brooke would try to put the NUKs into their mouths and cover them with blankets. Matthew really could have cared less about momma holding a baby. He's probably used to me holding John.

I really have mixed feelings with the babies turning two. I love babies. I love holding them, cuddling, feeding them. I love to stare into their eyes and not having some toddler trying to poke them out or screaming in my ear because they are having a tantrum.

Pros of 2 year old triplets

• I don't carry them everywhere now. I just call out bathtime or bedtime (nigh-nigh time) and they all come running and go where they are supposed to go. It reminds me of bringing the cows in to milk. They all plod along and then go into their stalls.
• They feed themselves pretty well
• They can occupy themselves quite well for periods of time so I can get something done
• They are starting to communicate better
• I don't have to change as many diapers as I used to
• Brooke is starting to show the signs of being ready for potty training
• No more nightly feedings, just getting up to find NUKs or raggies
• More love than I could have ever imagined

Cons of 2 year old triplets

• John has started throws tantrums - most of the day
• Brooke throws them, just not as much as John
• They feed off of each other, sometimes literally
• Part of communicating better is also a lot of whining
• They have learned that teamwork accomplishes mayhem
• They scatter and divide
• Trying to keep them out of danger and keeping them safe
• Its hard to do anything when there are three pairs of hands trying to get at whatever I am doing, like unloading the dishwasher or cooking

Picture day - take two

Alright, taking pictures of a 2 year old - just one - is really hard. They don't want to sit still. They don't want to stand or sit where they are supposed to. They don't want to smile. So how am I supposed to take pictures of three 2 year olds? And what about at the same time?

Here's what I got today. Luckily there are 9 days until their birthday and maybe daddy can help.

Top Ten list

I have a Stat counter on my blog. Its got all sorts of neat bells and whistles on it. I can see what area of the world people are from that are looking at my blog. It tells me what page they entered on or even how long they were on my blog.
Another interesting piece o' information is a keyword analysis. When you Google or Yahoo something, it comes up with 100,000 different website that may be related. These are the last top ten phrases that have been linked to my website.

1. Mother daughter blogspot
2. callaway
3. Big Ten network
4. callawaymonkeys.blogspot.com
5. callawaymonkeys
6. zofran & stomach flu
7. David hernandez in a banana hammock
8. FVMOM
9. rude comments about having four kids
10. strippers raising children

While I remember blogging about some of these things, I don't ever member blogging about strippers raising children. Huh. Interesting how cyberspace works...

He Lives! Jesus and easter eggs

Did you ever just say or think to yourself, "oh, (fill in your choice of swear word?" Well, I did tonight. Jacob and Scott were putting a puzzle that the Easter Bunny left for Jacob. Unthinkingly - meaning not thinking, without thought, just blurting something out - I said, "I got that puzzle at the Dollar Store." Jacob perked up, "Mom, the Easter bunny brought this? How did you get it at the store?" Scott gives me that - you have got to be really stupid - look. I try to backtrack, "well, uh, well, I picked it out at the store and left it for the Easter Bunny to hide for you." Jacob asks more questions, questions that make me realize he may be on to me if I don't watch what I say. Scott thinks he'll figure the whole thing out by the time he's six. I hope not. If only mom could keep her big mouth shut.

The kids playing with the Easter eggs. John did help me pick them all up. Brooke just threw them and Matthew just wanted to look at them.


I do occasionally attend to the babies hygiene. They have fun trying to brush their teeth themselves. Actually what prompted this was Matthew ate a green crayon and his teeth were covered in green. Matthew - St. Patty's day was LAST WEEK!


We ate supper (as we like to call it in the midwest) at my sister Julie's house. See, I don't always tie them down to eat.

Easter Eve

Holy Eggs. I just remembered RIGHT NOW that the Easter Bunny has to hide eggs and the kids easter baskets. Great. Its 10:53 p.m. and I just want to go to bed.

Random fact #6
Those commercials by the Humane Society and other similar animal groups really tear me up and get to me more than the hungry children in other countries. I have a real soft spot for animals and I just hate to think about the neglect and abuse that some go through. Yes, I know that there are children that go through that too and there are times when a show or the news makes me think for awhile about a certain case.
If I won the lottery I would build my own animal sanctuary for unwanted animals. I'd have my kids help out and then they can grow up and be ambassadors for care and treatment of animals. Scott would divorce me because this isn't his dream at all. I'd have to take allergy medicine by IV because I am allergy to most animals.

I'm not going to stop playing the lottery. Darn those West Virginians for winning the powerball last Saturday! Those balls had my name all over it.

Three "men" in a tub

First of all, why are all of you at one end of the tub. 3/4 of the tub is empty. What is soooo magical about water coming out of the spout? Being crowded like this only leads to fights and skirmishes because someones elbow ends up in someones face or someone doesn't want to be touched.

Doesn't Rod Stewart say a picture tells a story? I think these pictures capture the personalities of my kids. Especially the portraits.



Since its two, TWO weeks until the big birthday, there will be four or five sessions trying to get that one perfect picture to put on the wall. Check flickr out later for some of the other pictures that I took.

The DISH conspiracy

I filled out a NCAA March Madness bracket challenge. At the end of the day I have 53 points. It makes it more interesting to watch the games when you have someone to cheer for. Because the "Big Ten" network was only on Dish, I feel like I"m shooting in the dark. It hurts to be punished for having cable. I would think that by carrying certain games only on dish, whether it be basketball or football or golf, that it would hurt sales overall of merchandise. I picked UCLA to beat Wisconsin in the final two.



Today we had old friends stop by with their three children ages 8, 6, and almost 2 and a niece who is 11. They live in Western Wisconsin so we don't get to see them very often at all.

Its one of those relationships that you can start talking and carry on a conversation as if you talk every day.

It hit me as I watched four almost 2 year olds, a 4, 6, 8 and 11 year eating at our table. I remarked to the other couple, "These. (pointing at the table) Are all our kids. Who would have guessed?" I mean, back 10-12 years ago when we were dancing on on tables, doing shots, or out on our boat, we would have never guessed that we'd have seven kids between us.



Now we're yelling at our kids to get off the table instead of dancing on it.

How about dem apples?

This was the babies first time eating an apple whole. They really enjoyed eating them this way. It took them probably a 1/2 hour of eating to get their bellies full.

This is the monkey who just stuffs everything in his face. Afraid that others will take it away from him. - its an animal mentality gene

I think this is how Eve looked in the garden of Eden. Brooke kept trying to bounce and catch the apple like a ball. She thought it was very funny.
Why is she stripped down to nothing? Doesn't she have any clothes? As a matter of fact shes got a closet full of clothing and a dresser full too. But right around 4 or 5 p.m. every day she starts tugging on her clothes and wants them off. Sometimes her diaper too.
On a serious note, this will be mentioned at her 2 year appointment because she could have some sensory/neurological issues with things touching her. Her brothers, clothes, etc..

She is her mother's daughter

The mundane is sometimes the most interesting.

Tonight I realized that Brooke is not like her father.

I was eating dinner alone for about 2 seconds when the babies circled me, low to the ground, tails wagging, wanting some of my food. (Hey Jackie, their tails really weren't wagging. It was more of the submissive stance so they were between their legs.)

I had gotten a salad from Festival tonight. It had romaine lettuce, blue cheese, peas, imitation crab meat, carrots, and creamy caesar dressing. This is a strange combination, but its what I like.

Soooo, I put the dressing on my salad and shook the container good. Which makes the babies salivate (think ringing of the bell and Pavlov's dogs). John tries to climb up me and Brooke takes a seat next to me. I give John a piece of lettuce, but hes not interested. I give Brooke a piece of lettuce and she eats it. Next thing I know, she's sitting on my lap poking through my salad. She picks out peas, pieces of lettuce with dressing on it, crab and eats it.

Now, for those of you who know the Callaway clan, I know what you are thinking. But I'll confirm the results here for you tonight. Scott is the father, she just gets her variety in eating from me.

While her father eats the same thing over and over, yet complains that there is never anything to eat, she happily eats the same thing every day with gusto. Scott's idea of going out on a limb is getting his ham, turkey, shredded cheddar and lettuce sub toasted instead of just eating it cold.
Brookes only food that she really doesn't care for is mashed potatoes. Not sure why she doesn't like them - probably texture issues. On the other hand, Scott's list of what he won't eat or where he won't eat - well, can be rather long.
In Scott's favor, he usually does eat whatever I make for him and he doesn't complain (at least not in front of me). He's learned to eat vegetables, some spicy food and has been known to eat an occasional salad (with just cheese and meat of course).

Random fact #5?
I could eat the same food over and over. In high school, through technical school and through the first few years of work I had a turkey sandwich every day. Every day for about six years. And I like to eat my sandwiches on buns rather than bread. And I don't eat dressing or butter on my sandwiches. Which seems to be an oddity in Wisconsin.

Cookies anyone?

I had my cookie party. It was a lot of fun. Its much harder than I thought to make professional looking (bakery) cookies. If I practice a lot maybe Manderfields will hire me.

St. Patricks day has come and went. The Callaways - you would think- would be irish, right? Scott is an auburn (red) head with pretty blue eyes. He can dance a good jig and he's good with guns. You'd think he'd be a throwback from some Irish NRA member or something.

Nope. The Callaways are English Callaways. Yup, crumpet, tea-tottling, paddy wagon, pasty white English. So we don't really celebrate St. Patricks day because it isn't really special to us.

And I don't like beer. And I don't like corn beef or sauerkraut. By the way all restaurants and media outlets, Rachel Ray says that Irish people eat a lot of Salmon and beef, so please come up with another special on St. Patties Day.

Random fact # 5
I kinda am a germaphobic or a dirtaphobic. Its hard for me to let Jacob go play outside and get dirty. I don't like leftover food on my kids face or on their clothing. With Jacob, I changed his outfit if we even got water on it. With the triplets I've had to let my standards slide a little or I'd be doing laundry more than I am now. If its something that stains, it comes off.
When they play outside, they get a bath afterwards. I don't like it when people don't wash their hands or use Purell. I look at public places and wonder when the last time things were cleaned or sanitized. We wash our hands a lot here or use Purell. I think that's why we haven't been sick much.

Jacob's funny

While shopping today our in-depth conversation went like this.

Jacob: Mom, do you have a boyfriend?

Me: (Laughing) Yeah, its your daddy.

Jacob: Oh.

Me: (Thinking really hard at the correct thing to say) Usually mommy's don't have boyfriends, they have husbands. (I realize that some mommy's don't have husbands, not even boyfriends, and some have girlfriends, but this isn't the time to explain THAT to him and also I'd like to teach him the biblical way of things. One man, one woman, til' death do us part.)

Jacob: Mom, where's my Walmart sticker.

Now I'm thinking to myself, why did I think so hard at what to say, he didn't really care. This wasn't one of those life-altering questions where if I screwed up he would have had a ton of physciatrist bills later on in life.

Not again....

So last night as I went to bed, I snuggled down into my blankets, positioned my pillow just right and started to drift off to sleep when I heard little footsteps to the bathroom.

Jacob usually doesn't get up at night to go to the bathroom and I thought I'd better check on him. Sparing you the details, he needed a change of clothes just because - sometimes your body parts don't cooperate at night.

So I get him off to bed and I get back into my bed thinking about how comfortable I was the last time I was laying there. Sometime later, I was relaxed but not yet asleep, Jacob came into the bedroom and asked for a drink of water. Karma is funny that way. I used to yell my mom's name out at night asking for water. All the time. Poor mom.

We usually keep a glass of water by his bed, but we forgot to last night. So I get him some water and get back into my bed.

I snuggled into my blankets and fluffed my pillow and realized it just wasn't as comfortable as the first time. I started to relax and nod off as a baby started crying. I laid there wondering if it was a one-hit wonder or was I going to hear it again. They started crying again. Big sigh...

So I get out of bed the third time in probably an hour and head into the babies room. I turn on the lap to see who is up. Everyone is laying there, peacefully sleeping. I throw a couple more NUKs at the two NUK babies, throw another rag on the raggie baby and turn out the light.

Boy! Do I hate that when I get out of bed to check on them only to find them peacefully sleeping. I just wasted a trip.

Oh and for all of you coming to my "cookie party" this tuesday... Jacob cleaned the wood flooring for you today. He's very excited about the "cookie party" and that Ethan is coming over. (Ethan is 6 months).

Ides of March

March March March. Left, right, left right left.

I love March. Why? March Madness, WIAA basketball tournaments, the hint of spring - the sun shown today and I think it reached 40 degrees.

Reasons March isn't so great... a friend of mine lost her daughter on March 15th a year or so before Jacob was born. Secondly, I was on bedrest and hospitalized for the month of March in 2006.

While some of us celebrate spring, St. Patricks Day, good TV, others are dreading this month, this day, reliving a parents worst nightmare...

If there is anything that I can give to April's memory it would be to love my children, hold them close and not take them for granted.

Bosco! A type of chocolate syrup

Remember the episode of Seinfeld where George won't give his PIN number to his fiancee Susan? He ends up eating dinner with Peterman and on the way home Peterman gets a phonecall that his mother is on her death bed. He tells Peterman's mother what his password is and its her last word as she dies. Fast forward a few days later and a building is on fire. A man is stuck in an ATM area and Peterman and George are walking past. Peterman asks for George's ATM card and he gives it to him so the man who is trapped in this ATM entrance can get out. The man asks for George's password...

Well, this is how that episode plays out in real life.

Jacob and I are at the McDonalds drive through. I give out my order, "Four piece chicken McNugget happy meal, fries and chocolate milk. Boy toy." The lady gives me the total and Jacob interrupts with, "Poker." I ignore him and he says as we are driving to pay the lady, "Mom, you forgot to say Poker."
It took me a moment, but then it dawned on me and I cracked up laughing! At our Credit Union we have our account password protected. And every time I do a transaction, I have to give out our password, "Poker". So Jacob thinks I have to say "Poker" at every drive through apparently. And since he's usually in the car when I run errands, he hears everything that is said.

*** The name of our password has been changed in this story to protect our $53.45 in our checking account.

On another note. We've been watching a lot of cartoons lately. Do you ever wonder who writes and creates these things?

How many parents would let their daughter, along with her pet monkey, play and tramps along in the woods alone? I foresee an "Amber Alert" in the near future if this were real-life. I wonder how to say, "Amber alert" in Spanish...

Man posing as a superhero, who lives up in a zeppelin - alone, and wears a very form fitting costume, befriends several prepubescent children. Last episode he took one of the girls, Stephanie, overnight camping alone. - Pedophile alert

Or, In the land of Sodor, why do the trains have drivers if they do what they want to anyway?

Off to watch the last three episodes of GH.

The apples of my eye

Brooke really like shoes. Brooke really likes boots. Brooke really likes her pink boots. She is a cross-dressing sailor cowboy girl.

Can you hear him crying? This is what I see and hear (up-close) all the time at the Callaway household. He's so pitiful you just want to adopt him before they put him down for good.

Smiling Matthew. Perfect kid. Neglected kid. I wish I had more of him.

Jacob is going to SWAT daddy. Or they are seeing who is taller? Or daddy has something on his face and Jacob is going to wipe it off. Or they are going to kiss.

No puking about it

Yeah, you'd think that the stomach flu would have come and went in the Callaway household, but its just not true!
February 21th, Matthew gets sick, February 22nd I get sick, February 23rd Brooke gets sick. Then approximately two weeks later on March 8th John throws up once and then for the next three/four days has somewhat diarrheaish diapers.
March 13th, Jacob complains at lunch that he's not hungry and his stomach hurts. I hear this almost everyday since he's been battling me about eating. I ignore him and make him eat McDonalds chicken nuggets. Bad MOMMA!
Fast forward four hours and Jacob has an accident while he and Scott are playing in the new boat. Fifteen minutes later, another accident. Jacob doesn't want me to know so Scott tells me that Jacob didn't want me to know. Now I'm not sure if he thinks I would yell at him or if he's just a little bit embarrased or what.
Now we are eating dinner and the babies are whining and crying and standing by me like dogs waiting for their scraps. Jacob says hes not feeling well and I tell him to go to the bathroom. Meanwhile, I haven't even taken a bite of my food yet with the circus around me. As I am about to take a bite of my french fries, I hear a "SPLAT" on the floor. I yell "SCOTT!" Even though he is sitting next to me. I hold the other two back so they don't step in the vomit and tell Scott to take them in the other room. (The three are crying and whining in the living room ) I strip Jacob down, get him a bowl and tell him to go upstairs and go into the bathroom if he is not feeling well.
Jacob had a lot of chocolate milk and hotdogs for dinner so thats what I ended cleaning up. Again, I prefer the smell of sour milk vomit.
He hasn't had any problems since then, but come on! Have mercy on me! I thought we were in the clear when John and Jacob didn't get sick after a few days.

#4 I am afraid of snakes. It would go in this order... snakes, bats, mice, moths and spiders. I get weak in the knees when I think of these animals. I try to be brave in front of the kids so I don't pass along my fears, but these things are normal scary things.

Breakin' Out!

Today, I knew I needed to do something different or the babies would turn on me and put the last nail in my "crazy" coffin. So I took 20 minutes to dress them in their coats and winter accessories and we went outside. You can see by the look on their faces that they LOVE their freedom.

Matthew kept running for the road. Sigh. I think he's going to be the first one to get "lost" in a store. I'll be hearing over the loudspeaker. "Attention Customers, there is a little boy age 3 that is at Customer Service. Please do a headcount to see if he is yours."

Brooke was happy to follow Jacob around, but then she tried to go out into the road.

John liked being able to look around and poke his nose around in the garage. He was the only one that didn't try to run for it.

Brooke wants to have shoes or boots on all the time. I couldn't get her to take her boots off until she ate. And of course she's trying to "walk off" the chair.

Flickr picks - Come and get em'

I just posted more flickr picks...

Its 11:00 a.m., I'm in my pjs. I haven't showered since Sunday, only one of my children are dressed. Better get the baths going!

Walk your bike across the track please

Random fact #3
I was a substitute crossing guard for the Town of Grand Chute from January 2005 to January 2006 (when I had to quit because I was 24 weeks pregnant with the triplets). It was the easiest job because I got to sit in my vehicle and make sure no trains were coming. When the 1/2 dozen kids that came across the tracks to get to school came by, I got out of my vehicle and made sure that they crossed safely.
It was also one of the better paying jobs I've had... I worked approximately 6 to 6 1/2 hours a week and got paid $200.

Darn kids messed that one up. The day that I found out I was pregnant with triplets I was offered a permanent position at the railroad tracks, but later had to turn it down.

Oh my aching head

Went to church, watched the NASCAR race (well, slept on the couch and listened to it), went to my nephews birthday party, came home, posted stuff to Ebay and now I'm winding up my day.

Jacob's cute factor went up a little bit today. I was laying on the couch with a baby blanket and an ice pack for my headache and Jacob came and got me another blanket to cover me up. And then he repositioned my ice pack to the front of my neck to make me feel better. He's going to make someone a good wife some day.

This month I will be releasing random facts about me.

1# I like to watch television. And some of the shows I like to watch are entertaining and silly. I like Hannah Montana, America's Next Top Model, Sex in the City, Rock of Love with Brett Michels, Jon & Kate plus 8, Nip/Tuck, The Shield, Survivor, So you think you can Dance, Ugly Betty, CSI Las Vegas and New York, Moonlight, American Idol, General Hospital, The Bachelor, Dr. Phil, Profiler, Surreal Life, Good Day Wisconsin, Millionaire, etc... These are the shows that I have or do watch in the last couple of years.
How do I do it? Time Warner Cable has this little box that is also a DVR.

Scott thinks I watch too much TV. I agree with him at times. However, read fact #2 and maybe you'll understand. I watch these entertaining and fluffy, feel good shows because I was stuck watching CNBC for 8-10 hours a day for 8-9 years when I worked. I'm trying to balance news and purely entertaining shows now and I have to make up for all those years.

#2 I like noise around me. I can't stand silence. I always have to have the TV or radio on. I sleep with a noise machine. I do have my limits however, sometimes kids screaming in my ears or Jacob talking non-stop does get to me. Then I shush or say quiet, but no one listens...

Jello will never look the same to me

My day...

I woke up to Jacob telling me that John has red all over his crib. First thought was that he had an aneurysm and it was serious. But then as I laid in bed, sleepy, warm, comfortable, I realized it could be the raspberry jello he ate last night. I told Jacob to go back in and see if he was awake. Jacob said he wouldn't because it was really smelly. So I knew it was vomit.

So I laid in bed until I heard John get up. Threw him in the tub while gagging. It was all over his crib, his wall and it was a really, really strong smell. Not milk vomit. I prefer the smell of milk vomit.

I earned my mommy badge today.

And speaking of earning my dues. I was 29 ish weeks pregnant, it was March 8th, 2006 at 6 a.m. I was admitted to the hospital for my first stay of three until I delivered. I stayed in the hospital for about 30 hours. That was the worst stay since Magnesium Sulfate and I really didn't get along very well, but it did stop the contractions.

Vanilla Ice

Jacob, Jacob, Jacob. My special little boy. I once said that if I could have six of him I would. Unfortunately I only got one of him (Matthew). But variety is what makes the world interesting.

This is our nighttime prayer routine. Since he was probably 2, we've been saying the "Now I lay me" prayer. He knows it, but sometimes he just won't say it to delay me/us leaving. So Jacob and I have gotten into a habit of rapping the prayer. Yep, rapping.

Jacob: Now I lay me down to - (He squints and looks at me)
Me: Sleep
Jacob: I pray the lord my soul to - (Tilts his head and waits)
Me: Keep
Jacob: If I should pass before I - (stares at me)
Me: (rolling my eyes towards heaven) Wake!
Jacob: I pray the lord my soul to -
Me: (I just give in by this time) Take
Jacob: No mom! Its keep!
Me: Jacob I taught you this prayer, its take!
Jacob: MOM! its keep! I'm right and you're wrong!
Me: (I just want to get out of his bedroom. Pick your battles, pick your battles) O.K. I pray the Lord my sold to keep.
Jacob: This I ask in Jesus name. A -
Me: Men!

There are many variations of this prayer. I use the word pass instead if die. It just would raise many questions that I'm sick of answering about death. Its on a daily basis... "Mom, I don't want to die." "Jacob, you won't if you eat your vegetables." "Mom, why do people die?" "Because they don't listen to their mom."

Underneath the hats

Our morning in pictures. I got the big ole' hat box out again. It kept the kids entertained while I put away laundry and got the kitchen cleaned up.






This picture of John is a miniature picture of me when I was about two years old. I'll have to find one of my baby pictures and scan it in. Its the cheeks and the nose this time that totally look like me.
I'm beginning to think that he takes after my dad and my brother Jim in his sense of humor and I guess a little bit in looks too. Still wondering where he gets the funky hair from. (more pictures on flickr later)

Milk, bread, cheese and rude comments

Today, I took the kids to Sam's club. I like Sam's club because they have the double carts so I can sit two kids in front and Jacob holds onto John in the main part of the cart. AND, their lunch is really cheap and easy to eat... Jacob gets pizza and ice cream, the babies get a hot dog and a pretzel and I get the hot dog special (comes with a drink). So I grab another cart and line them up in front of me and I give them pieces of the hot dog and pretzel. They eat really well because its not nutritional food, and, its a different environment.
So usually I do have a few people comment on the babies while I'm there, but today it took 90 minutes to eat and get milk, dried blueberries and buns.
I am busy feeding the kids and chatting it up with Jacob and I hear yelling behind me. A woman and her son? or a younger man were pointing at the kids and talking really loudly. I thought it was so rude, I just turned away from her. Then a few minutes later she was done checking out and did it again. She was pointing at them and I caught, "look at them!" and couldn't really hear what else she said because she was probably 30 feet away, but everyone else checking out I'm sure could hear her clearly.
Then probably six times people came up to me and commented on how well behaved they are. And they asked me if they are twins or triplets too. Now, at times I am amazed at how well behaved they are, but it is a new environment and I only give them one piece of food at a time. And they are strapped in.
So we go shopping for the 3-4 things that we need and I run into a high school teacher and his wife. After pleasantries were exchanged, his wife and he both exclaimed, "what blessings!" THANK YOU! For the love of God, children are a blessing! Even when you get a couple at a time!
Same aisle, new couple... they are staring at me and I smile at them. She asked me if they are twins. She tells me she had five children in under five years. She goes on and on and doesn't wait for me to answer, but tells me that five children in under five years is harder. She had a set of twins too. So I answer her question, "No they are not twins, they are triplets and he (Jacob) is almost 5".
She didn't reiterate that five children under five years where harder again.
Its all perspective I guess. Most people with two children think they have it harder than a person with one child and most people with three think they have it harder than others with two or one.
I seriously can't remember the order of everyone that came up to me, it was almost every person stopping me in Sam's Club. Next, another rude person and her friend were muttering - out loud- "How many children does she have in that cart! That's a lot of kids!" or something to that effect. You could tell by the tone of her voice she wasn't a fan.
Then the checkout person told me that the kids are so well behaved and everyone was commenting about it. That was nice, but sometimes it just sucks being on display all the time.

So, after my ranting and raving and probably clear as mud blogging, this is my point.

Just because I have triplets should not make me and my children open to such rude comments. Obviously some people just don't think before they talk. Obviously some people just can't count either. Are they twins? Well, in a sense they are, but they are also triplets. I just can't believe what people say as I walk by. These are my children that they are talking about and it really makes me mad at the insensitive comments. At least my kids don't understand what is going on yet...

Today, in the news

Special, unique or just every day things that happened in the Callaway household or in the general world.

• Jacob and I called my sister to wish her a Happy Birthday. O.K. he sang and I prodded him to tell her she was really, really old.
• Brett Favre retired. OMG the world has ended. There has been soooo much coverage on this, its like he died. Good for you Brett! Go out on top! He did what Kenny Rodgers sang about, "Know when to hold em', know when to fold em', know when to walk away, know when to run."
• David Hernandez of American Idol has been uncovered as a former stripper at a mostly men clientele club. He was still able to participate on American Idol. Shocking! Gasp! (Close my eyes, shut my ears) Alright, the guy has a pretty good voice. He's one of my favorites besides for Michael Johns and some other guy I can't think of his name. My PROBLEM with him being a stripper is not that he did it for a mostly male clientele, its just that seeing men strip and gyrate and wearing... I HAVE to say it, banana hammocks. It is disgusting. In a previous life, I went with a bunch of girls on a deer hunters widows weekend to see some male strippers at a bar. I wasn't the designated driver (Thank God) and I was completely freaked out at the fact that these guys get really up close and personal and try to gyrate with you. Ick. Ack. Yuck. Ewww. I seriously ran away from one of them when they tried to dance with me. I only dance with fully clothed, not oiled men. I have nothing against female strippers, their acts are much more classy than men's.
• Scott laid out his sweater today before he got in the shower. After the shower he got out and noticed that grey socks matching his sweater were laid out for him along with grey underwear. His bed was also made for him. Jacob had picked them out for him and made his bed.
• The living room carpets were professionally cleaned today due to the vomit and diarrhea that was carelessly strewn on it last week. Due to the furniture being moved, the babies got to play in the family room in the lower level. This as primarily been Jacob's playroom. Jacob decided to stay home from school today so he could supervise the babies. He didn't want them touching his stuff. He went to school against his better judgement.
• Matthew got his stitch taken out today. I went to the ER today. I wrote down Matthew's name and info. The lady immediately handed it to the nurse who usually takes down the insurance info and takes stats. She said she could take the stitches out herself. So we were there for 1.5 minutes and she went to get the kit to take out the stitches. She opened a door and there stood 4 - four! - cuatro- ER doctors doing nothing. Nada, zilch, zip! One and then another came over to look at Matthews thumb and said it was healing fine, even though he had pulled out one of the two stitches last Thursday. Then the nurse took the stitch out, put some strips on to hold the skin together and then a band aid or three so he wouldn't pull the strips off. I was heading out the door in under five minutes. From the ER. Huh.

MISSING

Missing: Little girls diaper cover. Reward to anyone who catches her little brother who is using it as a.... hat, headwarmer, headcovering.

Surreal Moment

Tonight we were all sitting down for dinner - all six of us. Three babies eating with a fork, food on a plate. One 4 7/8 year old who had to be told 15 times to shush and two parents who badly needed the quiet.

Scott and I looked around several times because it was too good to be true. The babies were concentrating on eating Shell Dinters casserole with their forks. They never threw their plates and a fork was dropped only once.
Jacob doesn't like casserole (or so he says), but we made him eat it anyway.
It was quiet for about 10 whole minutes.
It was so nice to eat in peace and not have whiners or beggars bothering me.

I can only hope it happens again sometime soon.

Baa Baa Black Sheep - In Like a Lamb, BABY!

The last couple of days in pictures.


Our little shepherd! Just like Jacob with a raggie on his head.


Experimenting at this age is perfectly normal! Besides, he looks stunning in pink!

Grandpa Plamann and the boys "playing cribbage"

Brooke finally tried on the hat intended for her. She'd rather wear a baseball cap.