3 years 22 days

Day 1117. We've been home the past three days - that is Tammy, Emmy and I. Sammy had his weekly physiotherapy session yesterday that Randy took him to. And Sonja came at 4:15 yesterday, before the boys were back. I had started a lesson at 4 pm, and so I had the kids watch videos until Sonja arrived who then took them downstairs. When Randy arrived, I also had to interrupt my lesson as Sonja had locked the door and left the key in the lock so that Randy could not unlock the door from the outside.

This morning Tammy and Emmy were already up just before 6 am. I refused to open the squeezies for them and told them to go back to bed, which they didn't do. I was surprised that it was already approaching 8:30, when I looked at the clock, and got up right away. After breakfast, I took the kids downstairs, where we read a Bible story together. Then I returned upstairs to get ready for my 10 am lesson that lasted until just before 11 am. At 11:30 I went to the kitchen to start cooking, and as it was a quick meal, it was ready before noon, and so they came upstairs to eat early. Randy then told me that they had not had any snacks, so perfect. They all had icecream after their meal, then I cleaned them up.

A package had arrived just before we started eating, which was unusually early. One of the two items was a game for the kids, and so they were eager to play it. And so I went downstairs with them, where we started playing it. Emmy and Tammy did really well, and we played three versions of it. It's a shame I did not have my phone with me to take pictures. Sammy, however, started getting a bit upset; I guess he felt left out, as he was not part of the game. He's just not that far yet in his development. I held him once I noticed him getting sad, while they were playing. Then I asked him if he wanted to swing, and his whole face lit up as he shouted a resounding yes. I put him into the swing, while the other two wanted to do the new Paw Patrol sticker book. Sammy was laughing a lot, while I was spinning him and letting him fly high. At the same time I helped the other two with the stickers. We had a great time together. We used to go downstairs after lunch every day, but then they started watching videos instead, which was okay with me, as I'm usually really tired and ready for a nap myself at that time. But we need to go downstairs more often again to play together.

At 1:15 pm I told them it was time to go upstairs and go to bed. And then the phone rang. Randy had left for the grocery store and forgotten the grocery list, so I took a picture and sent it to him. Then the kids went to bed, and I sat down by them. They needed longer to fall asleep than usual, and it was about 1:45 before they were asleep.

I returned to my computer and ended up working instead of getting much-needed sleep. Sammy was the first one to wake up after about an hour, and Randy went downstairs with him. Surprisingly Emmy did not wake up early as usual. At 3:45 I opened the curtains so they'd wake up, as they'd already slept for 2 hours. Tammy woke up and went downstairs, but Emmy still stayed in bed for a while. He was pretty cranky, and I finally took him downstairs. Then I returned upstairs and finally did lie down and close my eyes. However, I had not closed the door and did not have the ceiling fan on, and so I could hear the kids the whole time which affected my sleep. Still, I knew that I had slept, when my alarm woke me after 40 minutes. I got up and got ready for my 5 pm class that lasted until just before 6 pm.

Before I had gotten up from my chair, the kids were already upstairs and at my door, calling my name. They wanted to watch a video, which I turned on, then I went to the kitchen to start making their dinner. At 6:30 we sat down at the table to eat, then they went into the bathtub, where they continued eating. Just before 8 pm they were all in bed - and not as tired as usual after their long nap. They were giving me a really hard time, testing the limits of my patience. I left one time, then returned. And then Emmy gave me permission to leave to get something to eat. It was about 8:40 by that point. However, Tammy did not agree and started crying. I comforted her and told her I was just around the corner in the kitchen. She continued crying for a while, but I kept shouting to her from the kitchen and returned to her side one time to give her milk and tuck her back in. After that she was okay with me leaving.

I cut up my salad which takes more time that I actually had tonight. I then ate, and by the time I was done, it was already rather late. I started working, and now I still have some work to do to prepare for my 10 am class tomorrow.