6 years 8 months 3 days

Day 2437. I went back to sleep after the kids had left for school and did not have to set an alarm as my student didn't want a lesson today. Just after noon Randy woke me up. I quickly got up and went to the kitchen to cook lunch for him and myself so we could eat before having to leave at at 12:45 pm. It was not a typical Monday.

We rode the subway for two stops and walked to Sammy's school where we had a 1 pm appointment with his teachers. Sammy was happy to see us. Then we walked to another room with two of his teachers where we spoke for the next 50 minutes. They gave us an update on what Sammy can do, what he can't do and what he has learned. He's making great progress in every way. He does not cross his feet any more when walking and walks well with the ladder. He has a rich vocabulary, knowing a lot of words, and can already recognize a lot of words as a whole. As for letters, he's working on recognizing the M and A and when they're the first letters of a word. In maths, he can count but has no grasp of quantities that he's still working on. As for his concentration span, it has increased big time since the beginning of the school year.

After we were done, we put Sammy into his wheelchair and said our goodbyes. By 2:15 pm we were back home. Grandma had come to the rescue and agreed to pick up Tammy and Emmy from school. A few minutes later they also arrived. They all went downstairs to play, while I sat down at the computer as I had to teach at 2:30 pm. After I was done, I made the kids' sandwiches, then went downstairs to at least have a few minutes with my Mom. Unfortunately time was way too short. At 3:45 pm we went upstairs to get ready to leave; my Mom went one way, and we went another. 

We rode two subways, then walked to the premises of their programming club. I left them there and walked to the nearby McDonald's. My student had canceled our lesson so I did not have to teach which I was glad about because of some things I was dealing with. I had my computer with me and was taking care of things. When it was time, I packed up and walked back to their club where I arrived a few minutes before the class was over so I went inside. They had programmed a simple game; I was proud of them.

Their best friend stopped coming so it was just us walking back to the subway with them eating at the same time. We rode the two subways back home where we arrived before 6:30 pm. I then went to the kitchen to cut up their fruit for them. After they were done eating, we went downstairs for piano practice. Back upstairs, it was bathtub time. After that, there was just enough time for me to pray for them, then I sat down to teach at 8 pm. For once, no kids lay down in my bed next to me. At 9 pm I was done and went to the kitchen to get myself something to eat. After taking a break, I went back to work and to bed late as usual, after 2 am.

Tuesday is usually the only morning without me teaching. So I went back to bed after Randy had left with the kids and set my alarm for noon. Randy had an appointment with Sammy to have his night braces looked at as he's grown so much that they are getting to small again. That meant that Sammy did not go to school today  and that I had to go pick up Tammy and Emmy from school. I ate lunch, then left the house just after 1 pm to take two buses to the kids' school. 

At 1:50 pm they came out of school, and we walked to the bus stop right away, going the opposite direction from home. We then got on the subway and walked to another bus that we rode to the school where Emmy has his soccer class every Tuesday at 2:30 pm. I walked him to the locker room where some kids were still getting changed even though the class had already started. Emmy then went into the gym, and Tammy and I left. She left her schoolbag there so she didn't have to carry it.

The two of us walked to the nearby shopping mall to have cake and hot chocolate. We ordered, got our food and sat down. We really enjoyed our rare mother-daughter time. After we were done, we went upstairs to find the restrooms, then we walked back to the bakery as I wanted to ask them something. After that, we left to walk back to the school. We got there a few minutes before the class ended and went upstairs where you can look inside the gym and watch them play. They were playing a game, and Emmy was quite offensive. I took a few pictures. When it was over, we went downstairs to the locker room to get Emmy and our stuff. Then we had to walk back to the same mall again to meet up with Randy and Sammy.

They were already waiting for us. Randy had Tammy's dance clothes and her sandwich I had made before leaving, and I gave him her jacket. It was really warm but in the morning and once the sun goes down, it's chilly. Randy then got on the bus with Tammy to take her to her dance classes - first an hour of dance sport, then an hour of ballet. She now has a new ballet teacher and is very happy about that.

As for me and the boys, we first went back to the bakery so I could place a special order, and of course the kids also wanted some cake that I bought them. Then we took the subway home. Back home I made their sandwiches that they were definitely not hungry for at that time, then I sat down at the computer to get ready for my 5 pm student. I taught until 6 pm, then went to the kitchen to cut up their fruit and gave it to them. Randy and Tammy returned home just before 7 pm, and Tammy sat down to eat her fruit. As for me, I was preparing for my 8 pm student, then we went downstairs for piano practice. Back upstairs, it was bathtub time. But time was short. After they had come out, there was just enough time to pray for them, then I sat down to teach at 8 pm. And this time both Tammy and Emmy came to sleep in my bed. 

At 9 pm I was done teaching and went to the kitchen to get myself something to eat. I then took Tammy and Emmy to their own beds and sat down to eat, taking a break. Later I went back to work.