More cute pictures

The kids lined up for pictures at the lake. This was last Tuesday at the campgrounds were Aunt Julie and Uncle Kelly were. We had a really good time. Very nice campgrounds.

Aunt Julie and Uncle Kelly at their camp site. The kids kept wanting to go inside the camper and play.

Mister Matthew is such an angel. For those who have met him you know what I mean. He has a kind heart.

Today he fell out of the cart and landed on his head. I could only buckle two in and he was sitting in the big part of the cart. I had been telling him all day to sit down, but I was preoccupied and turned the cart and he fell out. I can't tell you how I felt at that moment. You hear the thud of his head hitting the ground, you see him crying and in pain. And you know that you were responsible for it. I picked him up and comforted him. I carried him while pushing the others in the cart and Jacob yakking a mile-a-minute. Within a few minutes he had a goose egg on the top right side of his head. I went home and gave him some Motrin and then tried putting ice on his head, which he did not want. I watched him for any odd behaviors, but he was talking in sentences and his eyes looked fine.

I think tonight I finally felt the fear that I suppressed all day. He could have been critically hurt and I am so lucky that he wasn't.

I realize why kids are supposed to be buckled in and why kids are not supposed to ride in the big part of the cart, but what do you do with triplets? I could try pulling two carts, but that is really hard to do. If I bought the stroller all the time and pulled a cart behind me its still very hard to do. Its just not easy keeping them from harm sometimes.

Attack of the Killer B's.

Oh, this brings me back to sitting in my room listening to Anthrax. They made an appearance on Married with Children and even on Sesame Street. I love this CD and I think I still have it...somewhere.

But I regress, so the babies and I went outside to splash in the pool. Brooke points out a bee. I kill it. Then I see more. So while the kids are playing in the pool, I'm running around killing bees. After about 20-25 bees, I admitted defeat and called for a retreat of the troops.

I know my neighbor told me that he had a bee hive he was going to get rid of, but I think this is coming from the hated crab apple tree right outside of the house. I didn't want to keep spraying insecticide, so I put a plastic bottle of soda outside (like the directions said on the "humane way to kill" a bee website) and hope to entrap a bunch of bees. How is it humane to have them drown in soda? I would think a crushing blow by my foot would be more humane? Or even a little perfume to drown them in and then a blow by my foot.

Bathtime idiosyncrasies

Well, its day II of no more NUKs. Brooke took a shortened nap today so I put her to bed first. She was standing up and crying. I put the boys to bed and she was still crying. I read a book to Jacob and she was still crying. Soooo, I got her up and cuddled with her for 15 minutes. She was wide-awake and poking at my face. And now I hear her talking in her bedroom and Jacob is sleeping, or trying to sleep, in the bunk beds not one foot from her bed.

John didn't make a peep after I put him to bed. He looked for his NUKs and I told him that the NUKs were all gone and I can't believe he didn't throw a little bit of a fit. Not even a little itsy bitsy bit.

I worked at the Y today, not on the membership desk, but at the scanning desk. On my feet for five hours. I'm not used to that, so my feet were pretty sore, and it was the friday before a holiday so it was not busy.

I get home and the kids need a bath since I think they rolled in sidewalk chalk. The evolution of bathtime has changed a bit since they were first put in the tub at 10 months. They were bathed together, they had pooping issues in the tub, so they got separate baths due to pooping and standing up in the bathtub issues, their baths were 2.5 minutes long. Next phase, baths together again that lasted a little bit longer. I leave the water running just a little bit so they can fill their cups up and pour water over each other. Matthew likes to pour water from cup to cup and really likes to splash water at me. Brooke likes to stand up and jump. This gets her taken out of the tub. She also likes to splash, throw things and pour water over her brothers heads. John likes to lay down in the tub, splash water at me and sit by the faucet and watch the water come out. He also likes to pour water over the others heads. He also likes to touch the other babies butts and say "poop" and giggle.

No one likes to get out of the tub and this is usually a struggle. And then they try to run out of the bathroom, but usually end up slipping because of all the water on the floor because of the splashing.

Is it a one-man job? Yes. But I close off all the doors upstairs and open the gate so they go downstairs and don't get into trouble. I don't want them touching the toilet or garbage in the bathroom so I send them out. I wonder why toilets are a magnet for children?

Shell Dinter and I took the kids to the New Zoo today. We had a really good time. We got to feed the giraffes these crackers. Brooke was a little scared of the giraffes, but Jacob, Matthew and John gave the giraffes crackers. We saw, little lion cubs that are a month old, bears, bison, Japanese Macaque monkeys, moose, snakes, praire dogs, other children.

Then we stopped at Old McDonalds and got about 20 chicken McNuggets which no one ate. But they love french fries. Its one of the words that Matthew can say quite distinctly.

We get what we git and don't throw a fit!

I'm at 260. Not my weight. Not my IQ (but really close), but my number of Blogs.

We've been playing a lot outside. Scott got down the basketball hoop and Jacobs been practicing a lot. So has Brooke and Matthew when they are out.

Side walk chalk is very popular and my budding artist made me a flower garden in the driveway. He has already surpassed my skills as an artist. Its so sad I'm artistically challenged when it comes to drawing.

Yesterday a couple of big things happened. First, I found a caterpillar in the garage making its way to a tree. So I showed the kids and we put it in a container with a few holes in it so we could watch it turn into a butterfly. We gave it maple leaves, a couple twigs and grass and a little water. So today I checked on the caterpillar and it had started building a cocoon already. Or according to Miss Spider's Sunnypatch kids, a chrysalis.

It was really neat going out to the garage and looking at the caterpillar inside its silk spun cocoon working. It also creeps me out because they are wormy and they slither and they have that big black eye or face that is scary. So, I looked up my yellow caterpillar thinking it would turn into some beautiful butterfly. I was a little disappointed that it was going to turn into a moth. But that's because I have phobias about moths. This is one of those good life lessons that you expect one thing and get another and just have to roll with it.


The other big thing in the Callaway household is that Brooke has been moved to her own room. And she has a roommate. Jacob decided to sleep in the bunk beds in her room.

I was not going to separate the kids until they wanted to be separated. However, this past week has been frustrating with the lack of napping and the surplus of messing around.

Since the cribs were so close together, they'd unzip each others crib tent. Throw blankets at each other. Toss other objects out of their cribs. Undress, take off diapers, and jump around.

Now, Matthew is at one side of the room and John is in the other corner. The last two days have been great napping days so I'm guessing that this may work. Or the lack of sleep is catching up with them and they needed really long naps.

Brotherly love

Can two brothers get any closer than this?
See, John is a happy aggressive child. Its the sensory issues.
Jacob is really a great big brother. He's so motherly to the babies.
Four monkeys on a slide. And of course Matthew with his milk and raggie.
This was after hair cut day. Not for Brooke, just for the boys.

Jacob was really excited all day for the FVMOM annual picnic. He thought we'd be sitting on a blanket eating food, but instead we sat at a picnic table. Very disappointing for a 5 year old.

This morning we went to the mall. We stopped at a store for under 10 minutes and the kids were not happy to be strapped in the stroller. John and Brooke made it known that they did not want to be in the stroller. But things went much better after that.

We also ate at the mall and the kids sat on those miniature tables made for little ones. I actually got to eat my meal in relative peace. They all sat for at least five minutes before wanting to get up and go to the play area.

Then when we got to the play area, I never lost one once! I plunked my chair right at the entrance of the play area and watched the kids. John and Matthew got hungry and crawled up into their seats in the stroller and finished off the happy meal.

Then we got home and Jacob and I made cupcakes when the babies were sleeping and we did a little "crafting". He glued some buttons on felt and I made barrettes. Its nice that he likes to do that with me.

The pictures are from a couple of days ago when Brooke really took off and started peddling on her own. She really didn't want her picture taken (and it shows), but they are classic Brooke - I've lost my patience poses.

The ugly part of parenting

Have you ever noticed when people have children their conversations mostly are about poop and pee?

Its really annoying when you don't have kids. No one wants to hear about the color or odor or consistency. But once you have kids... its all open game.



So skip this if you don't feel you need to know about my children's bodily habits.



So the kids lay down for their naps. We had a time crunch here today because we were going down to the EAA to see the airplanes and helicopters and shop at 3:30. So took the kids outside and ran em around, we swung, we swam, we rode on toys, we bathed, etc... And do you think that they would lay down and sleep? No. Two of them had messy diapers. And this was a 1/2 an hour into when they were supposed to be sleeping. So I rocked Matthew and put him back to bed. No sleep for him, awhile later still up. So I brought him back down and he had another messy diaper. Got the other two up a 1/2 hour later and then John had a messy diaper.



And then tonight since Matthew didn't take a nap, I put him to bed at 7:30 p.m. and he was still up at 8 p.m. when I put John and Brooke to bed, and sure enough... another dirty diaper.



What am I feeding these children? I can't wait until they can take care of their own bathroom needs themselves and I don't have to touch poop and pee again.



Soooo, my sister Julie and I took the kids down to EAA. We parked at the outlet mall and got the lawn chairs out and snacks and drinks for the kids. Jacob thoughtfully packed cars and dolls and blocks for the kids to play with and handed them out during the air show. He was trying to earn back three sad marbles from yesterday. He got two of them back today, leaves one for good behavior tomorrow. (I feel like I'm trading again, talking about leaves)



Jacob and John were so excited to see the airplanes and helicopters flying around. Matthew and Brooke, not so much. But we sat for probably 30-45 minutes and watched and then we shopped.



I told Jacob we were only going to two shops, but it ended up being five. And the kids were very good for being two year olds strapped to a stroller. Jacob kept reminding me that it was more than two stores. BUT, we had to get him some shoes for school and Stride Rite had awesome sales. AND, (I'm taking a deep breathe) the outlet mall just got a new store. A Gymboree outlet store. I am so lucky to live within 25 miles of a real Gymboree level 2 store and a Gymboree outlet store. God bless America.

White fence

You see this white fence? This is what our neighbors who surround us see. Its six feet tall and completely private. Of course it does not provide a noise barrier, which can be a problem.

A couple of days ago a neighbor pointed out that they heard Jacob yelling in the backyard. They heard me, not Jacob.

Anyone walking by my fence can't see anything but a nice vinyl white fence, but this is a sample of what they hear.

"I said, NOOOOO!"
"Stop splashing the babies."
"Don't get me wet."
"Stop that now!"
"Get your hand out of there!"
"If you do that again you are going inside!"
"No throwing!"
"Not in their faces!"
"I'll take it away."
"Good job!"
"Don't push that hard."
"Be careful!"
"Turn it off now!"
"When you waste water daddy has to work more!"
"Don't walk on the rocks."
"You have to take turns."

I'll bet my neighbors think all I do is yell. Its probably why my head feels this way at the end of the day.

And then for peace, I just look up at the sky and realize God gave me them all for a reason.

An unordinary day

Jacob and I were off to swimming lessons today. And as we pulled off the highway onto one of the main roads, a driver in a cement truck pulled up next to us. Since my air conditioning in my van isn't working, I had every possible window open. My van has a sticker on the back that says, "Got Triplets?" And has two stick boys and one stick girl below it. The driver yelled out, "Hey, you got triplets?" And I turned towards him and saw he had a goofy-happy look on his face. And I said, "Yes, they are two." And he waved his hand in the air and yelled, "Yeah!" It was nice to NOT get that normal reaction. The way people gawk and turn their heads at odd angles when passing us. Sure, I could take the sticker off my van and be like the other million blue mini-vans. Maybe I'll get one of those obnoxious little boy peeing on a Ford stickers.

So this prompted one of those in depth life-altering conversations with Jacob. Jacob says, "What did that guy yell?" And I replied, "He likes our sticker on the back of the van about the babies." Jacob say, "Mom, they aren't babies." And I said, "Well, what should we call them? I call them my babies because they are my youngest children. And I don't like saying triplets all the time." Jacob thinks for a moment, "I can be your big kid and they can be your little kids." And really, that was a good idea! But a moment later he told me I could call them babies again.

So, fast forward through the afternoon and Brooke unzipping her crib tent and falling out today. Tonight, I will be making ties for the zippers so they can't get out. After that, the babies fell asleep for a little more than 2 hours. (Yipee!)

So we went outside and played. See pictures interjected into this blog.

Next, we go inside and I get some snacks out. Baked Cheetos. The babies LOVE baked Cheetos. They gobble them down. So, I'm sitting on the couch and Brooke and John are on their second community bowl of Baked Cheetos. John turns his head to look at me and he's got a Cheeto stuck up his nose. Now, at this moment, my reaction could change the way he eats or sniffs Cheetos. So I try not to let him see my nostrils flare and my eyes widen in laughter. And the oddest thing is that he was completely serious, just looking at me. He didn't even have a twinkle in his eye. He took the Cheeto out of his nose and then put it back in again. And finally I think I found my voice, "John, not in your nose, in your mouth!" And he took it out and ate it. (It sounds more gross than it actually was - the eating after in the nose part)

So I went to get the camera and waited for him to do it again. But no such luck.

A new day

Today, I was all alone in my house for the first time ever. EVER. EVER! For two glorious hours I didn't have to listen for babies, take care of babies, be responsible for any two-legged things.

My sister-in-law and brother volunteered, no, asked!, to take the babies for the morning. So I dropped them off and was back at the house by 9 a.m. and I cleaned the downstairs toy box out. Seriously, this is a catch-all for anything. And one of my pet peeves is when, instead of putting the fisher price animals in the fisher price farm, they all get thrown in the toy box. If I, as an adult, would think twice before playing with something that doesn't have all the parts because I'd have to go find them, I'm sure that two year olds and a five year old feel the same way.

So I put all the constructions stuff in a sterilite box, all the fishing/hunting toys has a new home in its own box, all the play tools have their own home in a new box. All the Tinkertoy have been returned to their original container, all the matchbox cars put back into the car holders, all the train stuff put on the train table.

I want it to stay this way. Sooooo, I guess no one will be playing downstairs for awhile. I'm going to have to remind anyone that plays down there to put the stuff back where they found it.

So then, I picked up the babies, they got their Daisy dog fix, and we went through McDonalds drive through to get some cheeseburgers. Brooke ate a whole cheeseburger by herself. She loves cheeseburgers and hardly even eats the french fries anymore. Matthew on the other hands loves the french fries and really doesn't touch the hamburger. Not surprising because he has more texture issues and also takes awhile to try something new. (Sounds like another 5 year old in my house)

Then it was after one, I put the kids in bed and John, the ringleader, started jumping up and down in his crib and the other two monkeys followed. He was wound up so much I took him out and rocked him for awhile so the other two could fall asleep. I put him back and noticed that Matthews foot was through the crib slates. About a 1/2 hour later and into my nap, I heard some crying and it was Matthew. He couldn't get his foot out. Its what happens when you have wide and pudgy legs and feet.

So then we cuddled and I tried to get some more sleep.

After all the naps were done we went outside and I filled up the pool. Interestingly enough, Matthew is very comfortable in the pool. While John sat on my lap pressing against me until he felt comfortable enough to get in. Brooke isn't all that thrilled about the water. She doesn't mind it, she's goes in for a minute and then goes and plays something else.

We ate dinner outside and then I got the ice cream cones out. Amazingly, Brooke didn't want hers so John had two in his hands. He steps in the pool with the ice cream cones and he starts doing this dance. Matthew was in the pool with his ice cream cone and he starts dancing too. It was hilarious. I wish I had the video camera. We had a really good time outside.

Then during bath time, which didn't go so well, I noticed John started mouthing things, his arm, me and he was getting almost hyper. So I got out his chew toys for his oral issues and then he stopped licking me and his arm. Its really weird to have a child lick you. When I got him out of his crib after bath time he had licked his whole left arm. You got to wonder about him...

A day in the sun

I'm not sure if I just should keep quiet about this weather or complain about the humidity. If I were a Supreme being who controlled the weather, I'd make it about 75 and sunny with a slight breeze out of the the Southwest. No HUMIDITY!

The kids actually like to spend time outside and as long as I have my shade, I can manage. I really don't care to sit in the sun and feel miserable. Not sure if its age, allergies, asthma or what. But sitting in the sun just beats me down. Enough about me.

So, I haven't hit anything while driving in nearly a week, so I think I'm doing pretty good. I also have not fallen down the stairs in about 4 1/2 years so thats probably due again.

The kids are really growing mentally in leaps and bounds. Their coordination, their curiosities, their interests, their jargon. All very fun and exciting. I really think they understand a lot more than they let on, but like to play "baby" yet because I don't make them repeat after me or make them walk and not carry them.

Since John has started the Birth to Three program and has had some occupational therapy and speech therapy I think he has really been coping better. He hasn't bit me out of happiness in about a month. We've introduced him to different types of play that fulfill his needs for impact. We have a mini trampoline, we have a lot of ride-on toys, the sand box is good for him, rocking horses and plenty of jumping, jumping, jumping.

Matthew really has been repeating words after me. Its just kind of hard to understand him because he doesn't always say the last syllable in the word.

Johnny sitting on my mom's lap enjoying being cuddled.
Matthew, surprisingly, loves the water and goes down the slide all the time.
I think this is the theme of summer. Aquabazooka squirt wars. Notice the cool goggles.
Isn't it a little late to be modest Brooke? You're the one always taking your clothes off!
Fighting to see who is first up the slide. Three silly monkeys! Do you realize that I use about a 1/4 tube of sunscreen keeping these pale skinned kids pale?