Day 992. I went to bed just after midnight. Little did I know that I was gonna be up for nearly two hours, as the kids were giving us the hardest time they've given us in a long time. What a start to my birthday! Tammy and Emmy kept coming, crying, and we kept taking them back to bed, but it just wasn't working as it usually does. It was so tiring! Tammy finally stayed with us, while I was able to get Emmy to stay in his bed. He came again somewhere around 7 am, as usual. Soon they were all up. We also got up just after 8 am. Randy sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY for me together with the kids, which was sweet. Then I went to the kitchen to make breakfast.
When we sat down at the table to eat, there were flowers, chocolate, socks and a towel - my gifts. Randy also picked up one of the papers on the floor that they had drawn on and wrote a few words on them. And then he put a cake on the table - only one of two different ones the store had had, and not one I liked too much. They all sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY for me again, then the kids all had some cake with their breakfast. Then I cleaned them up and dressed them, and we went downstairs, where I read a Bible story to them. Then I went upstairs, and a few minutes later Randy went downstairs to spend the morning with them.
Instead of turning my computer on to work, I lay down to sleep. It was 9:20, and I woke up again at 10:45. My neck has been hurting ever since, besides my sore throat and cough. The kids also have runny noses and Tammy is coughing. I started working and did so until noon, when they all came upstairs to eat. However, the food wasn't here yet. I had ordered a family-sized pizza to make it something special today. Even though they know what pizza is, they've never had one, so it was time for it. We took their clothes off, they sat down at the table, I put the plates out, and the kids kept asking for pizza. And then the doorbell rang and it was here. It was huge. I put it on the table and started cutting it and putting it on their plates. They all liked it. Then they had icecream as another specical dessert; they hadn't had icecream in a very long time. They had their Obstgarten as well, then they went potty. I cleaned them up and dressed them, and by 1 pm the boys were in bed. They both fell asleep quickly, and I returned to my computer to work. Tammy only came upstairs at 1:30. I sat with her for 20 minutes, but she was still not asleep. Then Randy took my place which she wasn't very happy about. Ten minutes later, at 2 pm, I returned to her side to help her fall asleep. Emmy was already awake, and then Sammy was too, and Randy went downstairs with both of them. By 2:15 I had finally succeeded in getting her to sleep. Just before 3 pm the boys came upstairs, which woke up Tammy who was very cranky as a result. I put clothes and shoes on them as needed, and we left the house at 3:30.
It was a hot and sunny day. We took the subway for a few stops, with all five of us sitting on seats, then got off and still had to walk a bit to get to the puppet theater. We got there a few minutes before it was to start, bought five tickets and went inside where there were already a few other people waiting for it to start. It was Tammy's and Emmy's second time there, but Sammy's and Randy's first. Last time Tammy and Emmy had been terrified yet intrigued, and a lot has happened in the 7 weeks since. They now have these puppets at all home as well and have lost their fear of them. Tammy was a little concerned, when the evil guy showed up, but they were no longer afraid of the crocodile. But first we had to wait quite a while, until 4:10, before it started. I had Sammy who wanted to be with me, and he was only mildly interested in what was going on on the stage. Randy also left with him in the middle of the program to change his diaper.
After it was over we exited on the other side of the building. There were a lot of people, and we walked that direction to get to the children's rides of the amusement park. We bought 10 tickets after Tammy and Emmy had already sat down in the first train where no people were, and off they went. Emmy looked like he was holding on for dear life, while Tammy had a big smile on her face.
Then we walked on to the other rides, and Randy and all the kids got on a little train from 1961. Tammy and Emmy got to sit in the front to conduct the train and blow the horn; the latter they could actually do. They started going round and round, but a few times a guy working there had to go and push them to get them going again. The kids enjoyed the ride.
Next they went to the caroussel, where Emmy went into an ambulance, Tammy into the firetruck and Sammy into a jeep with Daddy, and round and round they went. We had two tickets left, and there were two options. They ended up in the spinning teacups with Daddy, while I was holding Sammy, who wasn't very happy. I'm sure he would have liked it too.
They wanted to ride more but we had already spent enough, and it was getting late, and so we put them into the strollers to head back to the subway. We were planning to go to the McDonald's there, but we reached the playground first, and they wanted to go play. The first thing they went to had two teenagers on it, and they didn't want the little ones there. They jumped hard, making Emmy fall. That was not very nice, and so we walked on. They went into the big, round swing together, but only briefly, then started running to the slide. They climbed up and went down several times, and were also interested in playing with the sand that was everywhere, especially Tammy. Emmy wanted to play with the balls he found, but every time the owners didn't want him there. Then he joined two little kids who were digging in the sand, and they didn't want him there either. Our kids are not used to unfriendly people who don't want them.
We then decided it was time to go and went to the McDonald's right next to the playground. I ordered while they were sitting at the table, and they happened to still have the little koala bears that they got with their Happy Meals. I had not been feeling well and did not eat anything. After we were done, we went to the subway and took it home. While they were watching Peppa Pig on there, my brother called for my birthday, and so we talked. Peppa Pig was over. We continued talking, and continued after we had arrived home at 6:40. I helped them undress, and Randy put them into the bathtub. Then I ended my call to help him out. By 7:20 they were all in bed.
I sat down by them, rocked Tammy, then Tammy and Emmy at the same time, then Sammy alone, and then Emmy alone. Just before 8 pm I was able to walk away, but a minute later the doorbell rang and they were up again, Emmy on his feet all the way by the door. Somebody had pushed the wrong button. Thankfully they fell asleep quickly again, and by 8:10 pm I was able to walk away for good.
I was still not hungry and went to my computer to work. By 9:30 I was finally hungry and got some food, then continued working. I have not felt well today, and I'm tired and need to go to bed as soon as possible. Unfortunately Emmy has already been up and called me to sit by him several times. I hope tonight won't be like last night!
