2 years 30 days

Day 761. Last night I headed to bed at 12:30 am. As every night, Tammy and Emmy joined us in bed at some point, and we got up at 7:15 again. After breakfast we went downstairs, where I turned worship music on and got their Bibles out. Once Randy arrived, I went upstairs to clean up and work.

I've been sitting down at the computer at about 9 am, getting housework done before that, which only gives me 90 minutes to do office work, which is not much. Once I get started, I like to keep going until I'm done. Today I worked hard and every minute I had on the 14 new children we have taken into our sponsorship program. It kept me pretty busy.

Just after 10:30 I started cooking, and it was after 11:15, before we sat down to eat. And it was not a big success with the kids today, even though it was the best pork there is (out of our freezer, bought when it was on sale). Tammy didn't eat any, Emmy a little. At least Emmy ate his rice, while Tammy didn't touch it either. Sammy didn't like either as well. And so I gave Emmy a pudding, but not Tammy. She threw a fit because she wanted to have a pudding as well. Thankfully she was back in the high chair with straps at that point and couldn't get out. She herself wanted to go into it instead of her chair that she can get up from any time. She finally calmed down, but still wouldn't eat her food. And so they both went into the bathtub, where I turned the shower on. I gave them a little time to have fun and then got Emmy out first, who was very upset about that. I dressed him and put him to bed, then did the same with Sammy, while Randy went downstairs with Tammy. I sat down with the boys, then got up to clean up and returned. Finally Emmy fell asleep, and Sammy after him, and then it was the girl's turn.

It was only 12:15, so definitely a little early for her, but thankfully it was possible to leave her alone and she fell asleep after a while.

The big deal today has been that Emmy surprised me when he suddenly said "salami" instead of "lami", which is what they're both saying. He kept saying it right over the course of the day, while Tammy was still saying the two-syllable word. And Emmy could see the proud look on my and Sonja's face, when he'd say it right.

Sonja arrived after all three had gone to bed and quietly went downstairs. I went back to work, even though I was really tired. Emmy woke up first and he wanted to go downstairs to be with Sonja, even though he could have done with more sleep. Then Sammy woke up. I had closed my eyes for a little bit and must have fallen asleep. I thought Randy would get him, but he kept crying and crying until the girl was awake as well, and then they both went downstairs to be with Sonja. Tammy was tired and cranky for part of the afternoon as a result.

At 2:30 everyone came upstairs. Randy left with Sammy to go to his physiotherapy session - the first in weeks, while the rest of us sat down for their afternoon snacks, and they ate pretty well. Especially Tammy was visibly hungry not having had any lunch. But she still got up from the table early. Once they were done, they went back downstairs with Sonja, and I went back to work. They were having fun with their favorite person after their parents, and I was making good progress working.

At 5 pm I stopped to start cutting up their food for dinner, and that's also when Randy returned with Sammy. Sammy joined his siblings downstairs. At 5:15 I stopped and went downstairs so we could tidy up before dinner. Emmy was extremely tired and cranky and just wanted me to hold him, but I wanted to clean up. Tammy immediately went to work again, putting toys on shelves, and voiced her frustration, when the toy would fall back out. Emmy never did anything. Just after 5:30 we were done and went upstairs for dinner.

They sat down at the table, and I gave them soup and bread which was ready, then went back to work on the fruit that I put on their plates as quickly as I cut it. I finally bought some kids plastic plates, and tonight I used them for the first time, and it helped having them. They still got up before they were done, eager to go into the bathtub. Tammy now takes her diaper off and puts it into the diaper trash, but they can't climb into the bathtub by themselves yet.

They were having fun in the water again, playing with the faucet, while I was holding Sammy up who was playing hard. It's hard to not be able to be upright to hold him up, and for so long, especially as I have to let go with one hand from time to time to put food into his mouth. Then they came out - against their wills - and a few minutes later they were in bed. I was hoping they'd fall asleep fast, but that's hardly possible, I guess. All three were awake for a while, and Randy tried to help as well. I was about an hour or so before they were all asleep. I made my food, ate, and went back to work. Then I stopped the office work to do the housework, and now I've been struggling once again with keeping my eys open while writing. Time for bed! And sorry, no pictures today!