2 years 7 days

Day 738. Last night I was falling asleep while writing, so I had to quit and go to bed just before midnight. In the middle of the night Tammy climbed into bed with us again and slept between us. Some time later Emmy came and did the same, lying on my other side. Our bed is narrrow, so I could not move at all, and it definitely affected my quality of sleep. And Emmy then starts asking for something to drink, and then for food. We now have cookies by the bed, so he does not cry for food until I get up to make breakfast. It was still early this morning, when I got up to do so.

After breakfast I cleaned them up, brushed their teeth, dressed them, and we went downstairs, where I turned worship music on and gave them their Bibles. I also did some tidying up, with toys everywhere. When Randy came with his food, I left them to go upstairs to clean up and then work. Even though I was tired, I made good progress working. There's some things I'd like to get done before we travel on Saturday. I finally continued writing yesterday's update, but the same thing as last night happened: My eyes were falling shut while writing, and I finally had no choice but to stop. It was only in the afternoon I was able to finish it.

I had just over half an hour that I could sleep, which wasn't much. Then I got up to go to the kitchen and cook lunch. At about 11:15 I called them upstairs to eat; Emmy had already been crying for me for a while, which always pulls at my heartstrings. Both Tammy and Emmy ate pretty well, and then all three had icecream. Then I cleaned them up. I can now use the shower instead off putting them in the sink, which works much better. They're not afraid of the shower any more. Then I put the boys to bed, and Randy went downstairs with Tammy. It took Emmy a little time to fall asleep. He likes talking and asking me questions. Even with the little he can talk, which is still 99% just single words, he's very good at communicating, as I already know what he wants to say with certain words. For example he says "package" and then "man". I already know that he means that a man brings the package. Today he said "car", as he liked riding in the car on Sunday, and I told him that in a few days he'd be riding a car again. Then he says one name after another, and I say, "Yes, Tammy will also be riding a car." doing the same with every name of our family he brings up. Sammy was listening to us and needed longer than Emmy to fall asleep. By about 12:15 they were asleep and I put Tammy to bed. She was tired and fell asleep rather quickly.

I was able to make good progress working, I was surprised at how long they were sleeping. Sammy woke up first, after pretty typical 90 minutes, and Randy went downstairs with him. But Emmy only woke up at 3 pm, so nearly 3 hours after falling asleep, which just might be a new record. 3 pm is when we usually wake them up if they're not up yet, and so I called the other boys upstairs, which eventually woke up Tammy.

I opened the balcony door and got their food out, and Randy put Sammy in a high chair by the balcony, where he could see his siblings who were running around. They got the bubble machine again and made some bubbles, they jumped on the trampolin, and we did some peek-a-boo which made them laugh. And they climbed into their beds, and switched places, Emmy being in Tammy's bed after climbing over the railing, and Tammy in Emmy's. If you're wondering about Tammy's outfit, she likes putting on a pj she wore when she was little like a jacket.

When it was clear that they were not eating anything else, we went downstairs. After a while Randy and Sammy came as well, and I left - while they were protesting against it. It was already 4 pm. I worked another 40 minutes. Then the calls for "Mommy" were getting too intense, and I just had to go be with them. I took shoes for them with me, they put them on, and we went outside.

Emmy got the new shopping cart out, and then Tammy the strollers. I put Sammy on the little car, which he sits on pretty well and pushed him up and down a little. But what he loves most is to play soccer, and so I held him and hit the ball with his feet again and again, until I got too tired doing it.

After about half an hour we went back inside, as I wanted to tidy up with them before going upstairs for dinner. If I'm with them during the last minutes of the day that they are downstairs, they might as well learn to tidy up. They were cranky and tired. Emmy just wanted me to hold him and kept asking for food. Tammy was cranky took, but at least she helped me a few times, while Emmy didn't. Just before I was all done, Emmy was clinging to me so much that I could not finish up, and so we went upstairs to make dinner. It was already 5:40.

I put two chairs in the kitchen, and their plates in front of them. They ate pretty well while there. Then we sat down to eat, once everything was on their plates. They ate some more, and I took the rest to the bathroom, where they ate some more while playing in the water, but by no means everything. Emmy came out first as he was so tired, and then the other two. We got them ready for bed, and I put them to bed, while Randy left to pick up a used car seat from someone. The baby seats we used on Sunday are too small for them now. It's time to upgrade for our trip.

I sat with them by their beds. Emmy was talking to me, and Tammy twisting and turning as usual. Finally Emmy slowed down and fell asleep, on his pillow and under the covers like a big boy. Tammy needed me to stroke her head, and after a while she fell asleep as well - between pillow and covers.

I went back to work, hoping to get a project done, which I did not, and then got some food. I was still eating, when Randy returned just after 9 pm. Now I'm done working on the computer for the day, but still have to clean up the dining room and kitchen.