14 months 10 days

Last night was different in that I was following the American elections while doing office work, and I got a lot done, as I just kept going and going, not wanting to go to bed, but I finally got so tired that I did. It was 4:30 am. I knew I'd regret it later.

Four hours later I got up to make their breakfast food, and we fed them. They had gotten up later today, just before 8 am, so I took Tammy and Emmy downstairs. Randy put Sammy to bed, and I went to bed too, hoping to get some sleep. However, Sammy was not sleeping, but crying. When he didn't stop, I picked him up and took him downstairs to the others, and went back to bed. At 10:15 I was woken up when Randy put Tammy to bed, and that doesn't work for her. She was screaming, and so I picked her up and lay down with her. Randy also put the other two to bed. Tammy slept until noon, so nearly 2 hours, which is longer than usual. Emmy and Sammy were crying, but Emmy has the ability to fall asleep by himself, and Sammy usually does. However, Sammy was screaming again. I shouted to Randy to give him some dental cream, and he finally heard me. After he had put it on, Sammy got quiet and fell asleep. When Amazon rang the doorbell, it woke up Emmy, but Randy was able to rock him back to sleep

At noon we put their food into the warmer; I guess everyone was up at the same time. They were roaming around having fun, and Sammy was in bed with me, until the food was warm. We fed them around 12:30 pm. They were still upstairs when our friend Sonja came to help. We hadn't seen her in nearly a week! They all went downstairs, while I got our food ready. I had a lot to do upstairs, and took advantage of Randy and Sonja being downstairs with them. In the course of the afternoon I was able to change our sheets, and take stock of the baby food we have to see what automatic monthly delivery to cancel this month. All that takes time! And I was so thankful to have those precious minutes to get it done. It's rare I do.

When it was time to feed them, I went downstairs to get everybody, and so they had their afternoon cereal with fruit meal at 2:15 pm. I fed Tammy, and Sonja Emmy. Then it was nap time. They were all tired. I got Emmy to fall asleep, so did Sammy, and then I picked up Tammy and lay down with her. She fell asleep just before 3 pm. Randy left to go to the post office, and Sonja was downstairs by herself. As expected, Emmy woke up after half an hour, but he actually fell back asleep on his own. A little later he woke up again and was crying, and Daddy wasn't there to respond. I "dropped in" to the office downstairs (with Alexa) and asked Sonja to come up and get him. All that woke Sammy up as well, and so a few minutes later, I asked her to get him as well. Tammy was still fast asleep on me. Emmy was crying when Sonja left him alone to get his brother, and when she came back, they were all happy. Tammy woke up around 3:45 pm, and we went downstairs to join the others. That's when this only picture of today was taken, of Sonja holding Sammy. Emmy was actually pretty cranky (tired) and just wanted to be held by me, and the girl of course as well, having just woken up. I wondered where Randy was, and he showed up a few minutes later. I left them and went upstairs where I continued working, and then started getting their dinner food ready. It was after 5 pm before we started feeding them. I fed Tammy again, and Sonja Emmy. Tammy now enjoys putting her full hand into ALL the food and mash it all up and mix it together. It's such a mess! Emmy is still the only one who puts food into his mouth.

The bathtub was ready for them, and today Tammy didn't cry at all but enjoyed the water from the beginning. Praise God! I don't know why she had cried every night for a week. Sammy also enjoys his bath, and Emmy always does. I put Sammy to bed, then Emmy, and then Tammy. Both Tammy and Emmy waved good-bye to Sonja, and Emmy even said "ba-ba" which is Viennese for bye-bye. Actually, he has been repeating what we say more and more, and the other day he said "mama" so clearly, it sure seemed intentional. Yesterday he repeated the German word "aua" when I said it. He's now been saying "oh-oh" for over a week, which is so cute, and Tammy now says it a lot as well. Sammy is also the cutest when he talks, and his favorite word is "nge" (it's not a word).

Emmy was so tired, he fell asleep fast, but not so the other two. Sammy usually does, but tonight he kept crying and whining, even after I gave him dental cream. The same with Tammy, though I had thought a few times she was falling asleep. I ended up giving them both milk, and that satisfied them, and then they were soon asleep.

I'm glad I got so much done today, including office work tonight. And I have started preparing for our trip to Mali in December; so much to take with us and to pack and think of!