13 months 24 days

Last night it was later than usual that I went to bed, and as it takes me time to fall asleep, it was around 4 am. The babies got up later than usual, after 8 am, and when we fed them at 9 am, they were not hungry yet, as they get milk after waking up. I put Emmy into his bed and lay down with Tammy. Emmy fell asleep, and so did Tammy. Sammy always falls asleep on his own. When Emmy woke up half an hour later or so, Randy picked him up and sat in the rocking chair, rocking him back to sleep.

Tammy woke up at 11, and I took her downstairs where all the boys already were, and put their food into the warmer. Just over half an hour later I got back up, went downstairs to get them, and we sat down at the dining room table to feed them their lunch. Then it was time to cook. I haven't been cooking any time intensive meals; I used to cook a lot of stews/soups, bit pots where we could eat several times. Today I decided to make the chicken soup, one of those time-intensive soups. As Randy wasn't done feeding Sammy, I let Tammy and Emmy roam around on the floor, while I was cutting onions. After Sammy was done, Randy put him into Tammy's bed and came to help with cutting. At times Tammy and Emmy held on to my leg and wanted me to pick them up, but then they were crawling around, and even went all the way to where Sammy was. It was so cute how they were interacting with him, making Sammy smile, and Tammy was holding hands with him through the bars. Sammy was getting restless, though, and so we took them all downstairs and Randy stayed with them, while I finished cooking, and cooked our lunch, as the soup still needed time and was food for later meals.

At 1:30 our friend and helper Sonja arrived to help out once again. I was still working on the soup, while trying to eat my food at the same time. They are all in a phase right now where they ONLY want Mommy or Daddy, and not anybody else. That makes it really hard, as Sonja wants to play with them, but they cry if we're not there, or in the same room but not with them. So I joined them every time I was downstairs. Needless to say, it's absolutely impossible to get ANYthing done during the day this way.

I've noticed how Emmy is walking a lot without holding on to anything, even though it's usually only a few steps, while Tammy is not doing so at all. She used to be the first with everything, but now it's Emmy who's taken the lead. And he's always going right for the door, trying to find out ways to escape the boundaries given to him, and he's very smart, finding ways to get out.

At 2:15 we fed them their afternoon meal, and then it was nap time again. I was hoping to put them into their beds, so I could do something else. I took Emmy up first who was tired, and was able to get him to sleep. Tammy was extremely tired and hysterical. When I tried to put her into her bed, she threw a fit. I took her back out and held for a few minutes, and she calmed down. Then I lay down for a few minutes, had her fall asleep, and got back up to put her into her bed. She started screaming again, but calmed down and fell asleep as I stroked her head. All three were sleeping, and I was free! It only ever lasts for a few minutes though. I tried to get some things done, when I already heard Emmy cry. It had been too short, and he only continues sleeping if you hold him, so I picked him up and lay down with him, and he slept another 45 minutes on me.

While I was lying down with him, Tammy also woke up, and Randy came and sat down with her in the rocking chair, where she fell asleep on him. Then Sammy woke up, and I texted Sonja, who was downstairs, to come up to get him. She took him downstairs, and I wondered how that was going, as Sammy usually cries with other people but us. At 4 pm I got up with Emmy (no sleeping after 4), and woke up Tammy who was with Daddy, and we went downstairs. I was surprised that I had not heard Sammy cry, but that he had been happy with Sonja. Until we showed up, that is, because then he wanted to be with us, and I held him. That's when that cute picture was taken.

I had half an hour of fun with them, until I had to go to the kitchen to make their dinner. Randy then took my place with them. Usually I hear a lot of crying, but not today, as they had slept long enough in the afternoon, which is often not the case. Randy told me that Sammy can now stand when holding on to something, but he hasn't taken a picture, and I have yet to see it.

It was later than usual, something like 5:20, before they came upstairs to eat. Randy always feeds Sammy, who now also sits in a high chair, Sonja fed Tammy, and I fed Emmy. And tonight I made a video I've already uploaded. Tammy hardly ate anything tonight. The boys ate most of their food. And now they only eat in their chairs, no more running after them to feed them. When they were done, I put them into the bathtub, where they had lots of fun playing. I bathed Sammy and put him to bed, then came Emmy, who is always unhappy when I take him out, as sister gets to stay in the water, and Tammy comes last.

They went to bed later than usual as well, and as expected, having had a good long nap, it took them longer to fall asleep. As Tammy had hardly had any food, she did need some milk before she finally fell asleep. I walked away and came back a couple of times, before they were finally all sleeping, and I was able to get some of the chicken soup we'd made in the afternoon.

Please pray I find time to write a new much-needed newsletter soon! I tried to call Paul today, but didn't get a hold of him. Now it's after 1 am, so not much time left to do anything.a