32 months 27 days

Day 1000. Today they are 1000 days old! From three digits to four!

Last night I was loading the dishwasher before going to bed, when Emmy walked up to me. I told him I was nearly done and asked him to lie down in my bed and wait for me there. He was still awake, when I went to bed. I held him for a while, then he left to go to bed. It wasn't long before he returned. I held him again, gave him milk, and he returned to bed. It was 12:15 am.

Tammy joined us during the night as usual. Emmy came back at about 6:30, and together they were having fun and getting into trouble. I got up at 8 am, got Sammy out of bed, and went to the kitchen to empty the dishwasher and make breakfast. I offered "Mommy's oatmeal" to them today that they had not had since Mali, and both of them wanted it, so I added cold milk to their oatmeal . Sammy had Daddy's oatmeal. They also finished the leftover omelet from last night and had some fruit.

After breakfast they went potty, then I cleaned them up and dressed them and went downstairs with them, where we read a Bible story. Then I went upstairs, and Randy went downstairs to stay with them. I started working and worked until 11:15. Then I went to the kitchen to put food into the oven. At 11:40 I stayed in the kitchen to get lunch ready. At noon they came upstairs, and we sat downt to eat. Tammy and Emmy did not like the fish sticks, only Sammy did. They ate their fries, Emmy had some chicken soup as well, and then they all had dessert. They went potty, I cleaned them up and dressed them, and they all went downstairs. I went back upstairs to clean up, then I sat down by my computer again. At 1:20 they came back upstairs and went to bed. I sat down by them, but they were not ready to sleep. Somehow I was not up for their behavior and had Randy take my place around 1:45. Eventually they fell asleep, and so did I as I was really tired. It was 3:15, when I woke up because I heard all the kids. I opened the door, and Randy was still sitting with them, but they were all awake. It was high time for me to start getting their food ready for church. Randy went on the balcony with them in the meantime. Tammy was her typical cranky self after waking up, wanting me to hold her, but I had no time to do so, and so she kept on crying. She would not let anyone change her diaper or dress her. I dressed her brother first, after having finished getting their food ready, then tackled her. While I had not thought it possible just half an hour later, we left pretty much on time right after 4 pm. It had been a challenge to get her into the stroller, but that's where she finally calmed down. Randy stayed behind, as he was still in quarantine, and Sammy stayed behind as I could not handle more than two children.

We walked to the train station and took the 4:20 pm train. We sat down on seats together. After we got off, we walked to the tram station and took the tram. They stayed in the stroller this time. After we got off, we walked up the hill and to the church. Tammy got out early to walk the rest of the way. Emmy wanted to do so too but could barely walk! I was shocked! Randy had mentioned that he had hurt his foot, but this? I guess it was worse because of the way he had stood into the stroller. I put him back in and pushed him all the way to the front of the church, while Tammy kept walking.

We got to church early and went to our regular spot. They immediately went to the front to pick up some streamers to wave around. The worship team started playing early as well. It was strange not to have Randy and Sammy there, but definitely much more relaxed not to have Sammy, as Tammy and Emmy were independent. I did have to keep watching them to see where they were. Tammy spent much time with me, while Emmy was sitting on the stairs for a long time before starting running around. At 5:30 exactly he came to me and asked to go upstairs. It was exactly the time we could go upstairs, and so I said okay. I pushed the stroller to the back, got their lunch box out, and off we went to walk up the stairs and go to the toddler room.

We were the first ones in the room, and the kids ran off right away to get playing. I opened their lunch box and put it on the table for them to eat whenever they wanted. Then I sat down on a beanie bag, and Tammy came right away with one book after another to read to her. Soon other children arrived. At 6:15 the program started with the greeting song, then we did an individual greeting song with the hand puppet kissing each child. Tammy and Emmy hugged the puppet. Then the Mom teaching handed out mirrors, followed by Bibles, and we did the Bible song they enjoy so much. Then she started teaching. It was about loving others, what we can do or give, from hugs to gifts to time spent together. The kids drew cards and did what was on them. Tammy and Emmy both drew to give a gift to someone, and took one of the feathers  each to give away. Tammy kept asking to draw, and after it was over she finally got her chance. She got some blank paper, and the teacher left to get the crayons, and off Tammy went to get drawing. Then Emmy came and wanted to draw too, but he did more drawing on his face than paper. While we were sitting at the table to draw, Randy called with video. He said that Sammy had been crying, and so we all waved at him and talked to him for a few minutes. He wasn't crying then. Randy said he continued crying after we had hung up. He does not like to be left behind or left out.

And then the time was already up. I put their shoes back on, and we went downstairs to the sanctuary. There was a guest speaker, and people were in the front, having responded to an altar call. Emmy and Tammy ran to the front, and I followed them, and we ended up sitting down in the third row for a few minutes. While we were sitting there, Emmy suddenly said that there were so many angels that he was actually scared. He said he wanted them gone. Tammy saw them too. I then explained to Emmy that those angels were good, and it was a good thing that they were there.

Then the service was over, and we walked to the other side of the sanctuary to where Sonja sits. We found her but she was talking to someone, and so we stayed at a distance. It wasn't long until the kids walked up to her anyway, trying to get her attention. She picked up Tammy once for a short time. Surprisingly Emmy wasn't as eager as usual to be with her. Maybe because it's been 10 days since she was at our house? They soon ran off to the front and enjoyed swinging off the railing there. I stayed with them for a short while, then I told them it was time to go. They ran off, and I followed them once again. Unfortunately we did not see Sonja anymore, and left the building to go home.

We walked to the tram stop and were lucky that the tram arrived immediately. We got on, and all they wanted was to watch Paw Patrol, and then Peppa Pig. I got their lunch box out as well so they'd at least get some food into their bellies. After we got off, we went upstairs to the train platform, where we had 15 minutes to wait for our train. They continued watching and eating. We got on the 8 pm train, and they continued watching and eating. We got off, and walked home. I was able to push the stroller all the way into the apartment without them getting out. It was about 8:15 pm.

Sammy was already asleep but soon woke up. I picked him up and held him, as he had missed us for the past few hours. Then we undressed the other two, they went potty, I washed them and Randy put their pj's on, and off they went to bed as well. They were quite active at first, even though it was so late. Emmy was the last one to fall asleep and would not let me go. When I left at 9:10 to go to the bathroom, he woke up, and I told him I was just going to the bathroom. He got quiet and fell asleep without me having to come back to his side. Instead I went downstairs, where Randy was waiting for me with the ordered food. We watched the second half of a movie we'd started before, while eating. Then I went back to work, and I'm not planning on staying up late.