15 months 10 days

Today was a day like any other, and yet a day like no other, as we had two sick babies. Emmy was sick a week ago, and now it's Sammy and Tammy. They have a fever, runny and stuffy nose, and are coughing (Emmy didn't cough). Getting a flu shot yesterday might have made it worse, as their little immune systems have to deal with a lot right now.

Last night it was Sammy who woke up every hour, crying, and needing comforting. He couldn't breate through his nose. I went to bed around 3:30, my typical time, but my alarm now rings half an hour later than it has been, so they'd be more tired and ready for their nap.

As tired as I am, I can't really tell the difference in getting half an hour more sleep. They ate their cereal at 9:30, and all three of them ate. That was the biggest meal that Sammy had today. Tammy ate fine all day but left out dinner. I had noticed her coughing a little during the night, but a breakfast she still seemed mostly her normal self. The boys then went to bed, and I lay down with Tammy. It was unusual that she lay her head down and never lifted it up again until sleeping. Usually it takes a long time to get her to sleep, and she constantly raises her head up and talks. It was 9:50 when she fell asleep, but she already woke up at 10:30, when my phone rang. Somebody from church brought a few items for Mali, and I had asked them to text upon arrival. Oh well. The girl was up, and so was Emmy, and they were both walking around.

Then they went downstairs with Randy, and I was gonna go back to bed. However, Sammy started crying again, and I picked him up and lay down with him. It was 11 am. He doesn't ever sleep on me, but today he did sleep a little. And played, talked, whined, smiled. And sneezed and coughed. Poor little guy.

At 11:50 Sonja arrived to help, and we really needed her today. At 12:35 she and Randy started feeding Emmy and Tammy. Poor Emmy was pretty much on his own all day, with both his playmates out of commission. Sammy joined the meal after a few minutes, but ate very little. After the meal, I put long sleeves and pants on the sick babies, even though it's really hot in our apartment. Then they all went downstairs, while I started cooking for the adults.

When I went downstairs a while later with the plates of food for Randy and Sonja, I found Daddy asleep with two sick babies. What a cute picture! I have never seen Tammy like that. All day she just wanted to sleep. When I sat down, she'd just come to me and lie down on my chest. She had no interest in playing, and would not accept me putting her down or walking away from her. They have only been sick once before, around last Christmas, and I don't think they had a fever then.

Sonja and I ate our meals, and I ate as fast as possible, so the babies could lie down for their afternoon nap. Emmy was getting tired too. At 2:10 pm they went to bed, and the boys fell asleep right away. I went to bed with Tammy, who was also ready to sleep. After just over half an hour, Sammy started crying, and Randy picked him up and sat down with him in the rocking chair. Five minutes later Emmy also woke up. Randy and Sonja then fed them their afternoon meals.

Tammy was still sleeping on me, and she slept until 3:50, so 100 minutes, which is really long for her. I then fed her her afternoon jar, and she even had a jar and a half (the half Sammy didn't eat). That was the last food she had today. I had to hold her in my arm, and she would not accept me putting her down. Her 10 kilos definitely got heavy after a while! I actually ended up staying with her upstairs, and Randy had put Sammy back to bed, who also stayed upstairs, in Daddy's arms after waking up, until dinner time. When I started making their food and getting everything ready for bed time at 5 pm, Randy took Tammy to hold her. At some point Sonja came up with Emmy, who had been all alone playing with Sonja downstairs.

At 5:30 pm we fed them. I wanted to put Tammy into her chair, but she wouldn't let me, so she stayed in my arm. I tried to put food into her mouth, but she refused. She finally did take a spoonful of soup, and it came straight back out, together with part of the last meal. Poor girl. So the two of us went straight into the bathtub; I knew she would not accept to go in there by herself, and even in the water, I had to hold her close the whole time. At least the hot water should have been really good for her. Then we got out, and I put her to bed. Tonight the order was reversed, with her going to bed first, and Sammy last. But now I had to stay with her. Emmy had eaten not only his bread and bananas, but also Tammy's, but didn't care much for the soup. I was surprised! Sonja then put him in the bathtub, and got him out and ready for bed. Then I prayed over him and put him to bed; that's my job/privilege. Randy had fed Sammy, who didn't want to eat, and he didn't want milk either. Tammy also refused to drink milk. Then he bathed Sammy and brought him to me for bed. This was already Sammy's third day of being sick, if you count the time he was just sneezing. He seemed to be doing a little better tonight. Tammy woke up a few times, and I rocked her once, but now she's been asleep for a while, as has Sammy, so I'm hopeful for the night. And I'm thankful for your prayers. We would not be able to board the plane on Wednesday, with any of them sick, so it's great timing they get it out of the way before. I'm believing they'll get over it as fast as Emmy did. He needs his playmates back!

Four days until we leave for Mali. We have paused packing now, as quite a few packages are still arriving on Monday that need to be packed. I don't think we have enough room in our suitcases for it all. So it's back to office work for me tonight, trying to get as much done as possible. Tomorrow is another day of all of us being home, and hopefully more play and less sickness. My own nose is not as runny as it was, and I never had any problem breathing through it. God is good!

I forgot to comment on the fifth picture (and I uploaded a video). When we were all downstairs, it was really funny. I took the socks off Tammy (she didn't want them), and Emmy kept trying to put the sock on his own foot. He was so very determined! Sonja then put it over one of his feet, and he was so proud when he was able to pull it off all by himself! But he could never quite put it on. One day soon, my son, soon!