Day 1261. I did not set an alarm this morning, knowing that my living alarm clock Emmy would do the job, and I was right. He was the first one up, waking up his brother, and only a while later his sister as she sleeps really well and is harder to wake up. Emmy has been waking up around 7:30 every morning, so way too early. Sammy ended up listening to children's songs, while the other two were watching Kasperl. It was before 9 am, when Randy got up to make breakfast and change their diapers. After breakfast I cleaned them up and dressed them.
We let them stay upstairs, as the doorbell was about to ring. We were expecting Sammy's physiotherapist Maria at 9:30. It was her first and one-time home visit to see what advice she could give us to improve daily life for Sammy. Emmy and Tammy welcomed her at the door, and Sammy was sitting right by the door playing and smiling, when she came in. She took her coat off, and we showed her around the upstairs, then all went downstairs. Tammy wanted to draw, and Emmy wanted to do a puzzle, so I gave them what they needed, while Randy took Sammy and was talking to Maria. I tried to listen and watch as much as possible what she was saying and doing, but the other two kids constantly needed me. I helped Emmy do several puzzles, and Tammy did her birthday drawing for Daddy. I was really impressed with her drawing. Later I got Emmy to do his drawing, but he did not put as much time and effort into it.
Maria had Sammy in different situations - in the walker, in the stander, and pushing his cart across the room. She also saw him play the drums, and had him climb up the stairs and sit in a chair. It was a two-hour physiotherapy session for him, and he was visibly exhausted after. Maria told me in the end how impressed she was with all we had for the kids. Yes, the kids sure have taken over our apartment and have everything they could dream of. We are equipped like a kindergarten!
She left at 11:30, and I went to the kitchen to get started on making lunch. Tammy and Emmy were already upstairs and had started watching videos. Since I started later, it was already about 12:20 before we sat down to eat. Everybody had icecream, then we cleaned them up and dressed them. It was 1 pm, so a little early, but I put Sammy to bed since he was so tired. The others were still watching videos. I sat down by Sammy, as he wanted me to, and he was soon asleep. When I stopped the video at 1:15 pm, he was already asleep. The other two kids were not happy, but I told them they needed to sleep so we could go ice-skating.
I put them to bed and sat down by them and encouraged them to go to sleep. Usually Emmy does quickly, but not today. After some time of just being really tired I left them to lie down myself. After Emmy had noticed it, he called for me. Sammy then woke up just after 2 pm after an hour of sleep and Randy got him and went downstairs with him. I sat back down by the kids to get them to sleep. Finally Emmy fell asleep, while Tammy needed more time. I left her before she was asleep to finally lie down and get some sleep myself. It was about 2:30 pm. I woke up at the same time as Emmy an hour later who walked into the room. Randy and Sammy then came back upstairs, and we made enough noise for Tammy to wake up. We started dressing them and left the house at 4 pm.
We had put their snowsuits on them and only had one stroller with us for Sammy. Emmy was walking for most of the time, or on the board, and Tammy was walking as well. It was a sunny but pretty cold day. We took the subway to the end, then the elevator up. Tammy and Emmy wanted to take escalators all the time, so we took them most of the time, while Randy and Sammy took the elevators. When we got to street level, the tram was right there and so we got on right away. We rode it for one stop and had arrived at our destination, the square in front of Town Hall.
After the Christmas market there, they set up the ice-skating rinks there until early March. While we had gone ice-skating once at the Christmas market, they had a much bigger free ice-skating rink for kids at this event focused on ice-skating only last year. Imagine my disappointment, when it was the same tiny ice-rink for kids they'd had at the Christmas market!
I had purchased the rental ice-skating shoes online and had decided to get a pair for myself as well - that was while I was thinking it was gonna be a big rink. We went straight to the rental counters and had to wait in line, but it moved quickly. It was the first time for the kids to have actual ice-skating shoes, as they'd only had the tie-on blades so far. I got those for Sammy. We took the shoes and left to walk to the kids' rink. The big one in the rest of the park is payable. Even thouse last time was not a good experience for the kids (they were too tired), they were excited and looking forward to the experience today. We put their shoes on - classical ones with laces - I put mine on and off I went on the ice with Tammy and Emmy, while Randy was still putting the blades on Sammy. They soon joined us on the ice.
They both got an animal to hold on to and push, but it was not working so well. Tammy wanted no help whatsoever from me, so I helped Emmy. I tried to give him some balance and keep him from falling. Tammy on the other hand fell a lot, but she didn't mind at all. Soon Emmy also wanted to be on his own, and I was surprised at how well he did, even without the animal to hold on to. When I heard Sammy crying, I took him from Randy and with his legs being so stiff, it's easy to just glide him over the ice. However, my rental shoes were hurting me real bad and I had no choice but to go take them off and put my shoes on. It was just as well on that small rink.
We continued ice-skating, and the kids were having fun, even with the frequent falling down. I had Sammy ride a few rounds on an animal, as well as pushing him in circles. Tammy and Emmy were chasing me, which made it even more fun for them. They were really doing a great job. When I suggested taking an ice-skating class next year, they eagerly agreed to that.
Sammy then was the first one to be done. I asked the other two, and they wanted to keep going. It wasn't much later though, when they said we could go home. We took their shoes off and returned them. It had already gotten dark, and the area has its own charm at night, with all the lights everywhere. It's actually because of the current "energy crisis" that everything was done smaller this year, but I wouldn't have made the kids' ice-rink THAT small.
We walked to the tram stop, rode the tram for one stop, crossed the street and went underground to take the subway home. Tammy and Emmy were watching videos on the way home, where we arrived just before 6:30 pm. I was wondering how to be done with everything by 8 pm, as I had students from 8 to 10 pm, and was glad, when the first student canceled. It meant not having to watch the time and being able to assure the kids that I'd be able to read Bible stories to them.
I started making their dinner, while the kids were watching or playing. It was close to 7 pm, when we sat down to eat. They ate some, then continued eating in the bathtub, while having fun. We then got them out and ready for bed. I then read some New and Old Testament stories to them that they listened to attentively. I prayed for them and put them to bed. It was close to 8:30, when I sat down by their beds. Randy then soon took my place, as I had to get my 9 pm class ready. I closed my door and started teaching, going until just before 10 pm. I did some more work related to that student, then got something to eat, and then downloading today's pictures to work on them. I wasn't done with them, when Randy came into the room to go to bed at 12:30 am. And so it's now 2:40, and I still have to clean up the kitchen before going to bed. I'm sure going to be tired again tomorrow.
