Day 1191. Today the alarm went off at 8 am, and it was pretty tough, as it had been another late night bed time for me. We left the house at 9 am to take the 9:20 train, then took the tram to the swimming pool. The class started at 10:20. After changing, we went downstairs to the small and really hot pool, where the previous class was still in session. We sat down on the side of the pool and let our feet dangle in the water. Once the class was over, we got in. And while 7 other kids were enrolled in this course, today it was just us, no other children. And we had a great class. The teacher said again how our children are always happy and admired us for handling three children of the same age. All three did great swimming. Sammy now does really well and only gets into trouble, when he moves his limbs too fast, as his mouth goes under and he swallows water. When he stays calm, he's doing great. Tammy and Emmy both had only two swimrings on each arm and did great that way. Today she also had them on a board without the rings. And she made them swim on their backs. They also got to jump off a board, but Emmy is still adamant that he does not want to go under water. They were having a great time, and the 50 minutes passed by really quickly.
We got out of the water again, showered off, and went to the changing rooms to get dressed. The previous class had a lot fewer kids than usual as well, and we were the only ones in the changing rooms, which was unusual. It was eerily quiet. We got them dressed, put their shoes and jackets back on, and left to cross the square and go to McDonald's for lunch.
And the place was really full, fuller than usual, and there were no free tables. We got two half tables next to each other, then Tammy and Emmy came with me to order. Once I was done, there was a table available, so I immediately grabbed it and got Randy and Sammy to join us there. It really was the perfect table, and we had a great time eating and having fun together. They got a book and three cars today.
As soon as we were about to leave, the kids started asking to go on the caroussel by the subway entrance. Randy said no at first, but then gave in, much to their and my delight. I know how much they enjoy it, and so I enjoy seeing the joy on their faces, when they go round and round. When other kids were faster than them and got into the tea cup that they wanted, they waited for the next turn and then got in right away. Randy took Sammy to the firetruck. Tammy and Emmy were having fun the whole time they were going in circles. Then we put them back into the strollers and walked to the subway.
They had done really well in swimming class, and so I told them they could watch videos. They were watching Paw Patrol on the long way home, while I had Sammy, as he did not want to stay in the stroller. All he wants to do is to push buttons, and I let him whenever that was possible, and that way he stayed happy. It was 1 pm, when we got home, and we put them straight to bed for their nap. They fell asleep fast, and I needed a nap really bad myself and lay down as soon as I could. I still had one hour to sleep until my alarm would go off. Before it did, Emmy walked into the room, and I also heard Sammy, and Randy took them both downstairs, so I could go back to sleep.
Once my alarm woke me, I got up and got ready for my 3 pm lesson. Tammy then woke up just before 3 pm and joined the others downstairs. I started my lesson, but my student never showed up, so I did office work instead. At 4:10 the kids already came upstairs; I would have gone to get them ten minutes later. They had their weekly music/piano class at 5 pm, and as Christine couldn't come today, I was gonna go to the class with them. Randy had gone the last two weeks. Today it was their 4th time there.
Sammy does not like being left out and often cries, when his siblings and a parent are gone without him. And so Randy and Sammy came along today; it was Sammy's first time at the music school. It sure worked out a lot better that way, as Sammy felt included. We left the house just before 4:30, took the subway, and then walked to the school downtown. We parked the strollers, took their coats and shoes off, and waited the few remaining minutes until the class started. Then I went into the classroom with Tammy and Emmy, while Randy stayed outside with Sammy to play with him there. There was a good number of books there to look at.
And once again our children were the only ones in the class today, and they really impressed me today. They participated and did a lot better than they had done three weeks ago, when I had last come with them. Especially Emmy impressed me, who sang along at times and did really well. They did great hitting the right notes - low, middle, and high - and the right colors - yellow, red and green. They also got to draw notes on the board. And they did a lot better with knowing what number was what finger. They got a little finger puppet each. Tammy got to choose first, and it was Marshall from Paw Patrol. It was the only Paw Patrol figurine, and so Emmy was very disappointed as he wanted the same one. The teacher said he'd get to choose next time.
About twenty minutes into the class I could hear Sammy cry from the top of his lungs, and so I went outside and took him into my arms and then into the classroom. Randy, Sammy and I then sat in the back together. Sammy was pretty excited, when he saw the pianos (and the guitars on the wall), and started hitting the two pianos in reach. Thankfully they were turned off. I also gave him a phone at one point to keep him busy, as he was getting a little antsy, and we didn't want him to disturb the class. The teacher always ends the class with a story he tells with a felt board, and I sat down with Sammy on the floor for that, so he got to listen and watch as well, which he did. Then we did a final song, and the class was over after 55 minutes. The kids got a sticker, and we left.
We took the subway home, and once again they were watching Paw Patrol. I was really happy about the way the class had gone and how well they had participated. It's not what I heard from Randy last week. It was 6:30 by the time we got home, and I only had one hour until I had to teach. Because of the piano class I could only teach one hour in the afternoon, and I had two students with upcoming exams that needed a lesson, so the only possibility was to teach them from 7:30 to 9:10 pm, with no break in between. I immediately started making their dinner, then we sat down to eat. However, I told them "no bathtub tonight". Tammy started crying, and then Randy decided to let them take a bath after all. He had to do it without me, which isn't easy, as Sammy can't sit in the bathtub on his own. He also had to be the one to feed them there, and he never does it. I grabbed my computer and went downstairs just before it was 7:30. Randy then had to get them all ready for bed and put them to bed.
I was teaching my second student, when I heard Tammy crying hard. I excused myself and went upstairs to check on her. I comforted her and returned to my student. At 9:10 pm I was done and went upstairs a few minutes later. It was time to make my salad. It was 10:15 before I was able to sit down to eat, and so it was late before I was done and could start working on today's pictures. And that's why it's now nearly 2 am and once again late by the time I go to bed, as I still have to do the dishes.
