22 months 17 days

Day 687. Thank you for praying. Please continue to do so. Last night I fell into bed just before midnight because I was so exhausted. This morning it was 4:40, when Emmy woke up crying, came into our bedroom and to me, and I lay down with him. He slept on me for about an hour and got up around 6 am, waking his sister up. So I got Tammy out as well, who ended up climbing into our bed as well and lying down for a little bit. But not for long. At 6:30 we sat down to feed them breakfast. I could barely keep my eyes open because I was so tired.

After breakfast I went downstairs with them. As the Mobile Support lady was coming at 9 am, I started tidying up, putting all the toys and books on the shelves. It looked really nice - for a few minutes. We had also done a little bit of dancing and worshipping, and then I went to get some Bibles and we sat down to read them. Right now they want to each have their own Bible and read it, so it's difficult to all read one Bible together.

When Randy came with his breakfast, I was glad to leave and go upstairs. It was hard to believe it was only around 7:30. I started cleaning up, took my computer to the bedroom, and then lay down for a nap. I was just way too tired to work. I slept nearly 90 minutes; I had set my alarm for just before 9 am so I'd hear the doorbell and could open the door for the support lady, which I did. I then opened up my computer and started working.

I stopped at 10:45, as I was aiming to eat at 11 am, given how early they get up now. I warmed up the last remaining fish jars, and cooked some fish, and added the leftover pasta from yesterday. Just after 11 am I called them to come upstairs to eat. And my two ate really well, eating everything on their plates, followed by icecream. Emmy still calls it "Eier" (eggs) instead of "Eis" (icecream), even though I correct him all the time. Sammy said "Eier" today as well. Only Tammy correctly says "Eis". Sammy also said "Oma" today, as I kept telling them they're gonna see Oma today.

Today Randy got out the peanut butter and added it to their icecream - an American thing. They sure seemed to like it! Once they were done eating, I cleaned them up, which Emmy does not like at all. He will not sit down in the sink with the running water. Tammy has no problem doing so. And Sammy keeps grabbing the faucet, changing the temperature, so I really have to watch it. I put Sammy to bed, while Randy went downstairs with the other two. I then put Emmy to bed, but it didn't take long to realize it was not gonna work. Unfortunately Randy had let him sleep on his chest for 10-15 minutes and that was enough for him not to be tired enough to sleep. So I took him back downstairs and got Tammy and put her to bed. She was VERY tired and fell asleep fast. Then I put Emmy to bed again, and the 90 minute ordeal started. I was exhausted from trying to get him to sleep. He was going up and down in his bed, having fun, throwing pacifiers. Even Randy tried at one point and didn't get anywhere. After 90 minutes he was exhausted enough to finally fall asleep. It's a miracle Sammy was still sleeping. And Tammy was really sleeping well as well. Sammy woke up a little bit later, and I dressed him. Emmy I had to wake up after only half an hour of sleep, and I dressed the half-asleep boy. Then I woke up Tammy and dressed her, and we walked out of the apartment on time at 2:15 pm.

But we still missed our tram. However, seeing it leave we saw that it was one of the old trams that we cannot use anyway with our strollers. However, the trams come in 10 minute intervals, so we arrived at the swimming pool late. With Sonja out of town, my Mom filled in for her, and we hadn't seen her in nearly a month anyway. The teacher was already standing at the door and had let everybody else inside, we were the last ones. We went to the changing rooms, put their swim trunks on, and in we went. Randy went to the bathroom, so I went into the water with both boys, while my Mom had Tammy. Emmy was clinging to me like crazy again, while Sammy was laughing, having fun. Randy took Sammy, once he returned. Emmy was clinging to me the whole time. I tried to get him to get more comfortable and loosen up. When I'd jump into the air with him, he'd love. A few times I was able to get his body at a short distance from mine, but only for a short time. He was just scared, after a 9-month Corona break from swimming. The teacher put a platform on the water again, and I did get him to go on it and "jump" down. As for Tammy, she's getting really comfortable in the water again and was doing great.

Time went by fast, and the class was over. This is the most unstructured class of all, this being the third swim school we're using, so I'll probably try to find another one for fall, which is really not that easy.

We went into the showers that Emmy now even likes, which he didn't before we started up swimming again. Then we dressed them again and left. Leaving the pool, we were walking towards the tram stop with Grandma and reached the place where water is coming out of the ground that they enjoyed so much last week. They ran right into it, playing with the water, having so much fun. Randy got Sammy out of the strollers, so he could join in as well. They were totally soaked, from top to bottom, water running down Emmy's face, but they loved it. They were upset, when we put them back into the strollers to leave. And they had to say good-bye to Grandma.

Their tiredness, and maybe also being wet, made our trip until we got back home very challenging, to say the least. They didn't want to be in the strollers. We had to wait quite a while at the tram stop. The first tram was an old one again, so we had to let it go. There were other trams and busses coming, and every time Emmy insisted we'd get on. On the way to the pool, they had refused to eat, but at that point they were ready to eat the snacks I had with us. Unfortunately much of it ended up on the ground.

I had Tammy in the single stroller, and she sat on my lap on the tram. Half-way home, we got off the tram at the big shopping mall, so I could go pick up my glasses. Last time we had come here, it was a nightmare. As soon as we entered, there were the car shopping carts. There was only one that was still there. Emmy sat in it, and Tammy came out of the stroller as well. We decided I'd go pick up my glasses by myself, while Randy stayed there with all three, which is not easy whatsoever. At least I knew where to go this time and got it over with as fast as possible. When I got back to Randy and the kids, he very much needed my help. I don't know how he had managed!

Once again they did not want to go into the strollers. Tammy was so very tired, I ended up carrying her, while pushing Emmy in the stroller. But Tammy is the heavest of them all with her 12 kilos, and I could tell fast, as my arms started to hurt. The tram came, and we rode to our stop, and then still had quite a walk. Neither Tammy nor Emmy wanted to ride on my shoulders today, which is strange, but maybe due to them being so wet. Randy ended up carrying Tammy, while I had Emmy walk next to me holding my hand, or I was carrying him.

I was sure glad when we finally got home just before 6 pm. We took all the wet clothes off, and Randy went downstairs with all three, while I went to work getting their dinner ready. At 6:30 they came back upstairs to eat. They were somewhat hungry and ate quite a bit, but not everything. They still had fun in the bathtub, even after all the water today, and they didn't even seem tired any more. Then I put them to bed and sat down by them. Tammy and Emmy were having fun, throwing a stuffed rabbit back and forth between them as if it was a ball, until I took it away. I kept encouraging them to lie down and sleep. As for me, I could not keep my eyes open at that point because I was so very tired. After a while they finally lay down, and Emmy fell asleep before Tammy did. I got up, got myself some food, and was glad that Tammy did not protest my leaving.

After having eaten, I started working again. Now it's 12:30 am and all I have left to do is to turn the dishwasher on. Please pray Emmy sleeps longer tomorrow!