18 months 12 days

This has been a low-picture and low-sleep day. The first helps with the second, but I'm very tired because of it tonight. I did not get to sleep after 8 am this morning, like I usually do. After feeding them breakfast, we dressed them, put them into the strollers, and left the house to get a Covid test done. Yesterday we had found out that someone we were with recently tested positive, so we took a test as a precaution, especially before Sammy's physiotherapy session and all three's pediatrician's appointment.

I found a pharmacy that had an opening for a free test in the morning at 10 am. We had to take the subway and a bus. Last time the nose swab was really unpleasant, and as I mentioned that to the young man, he said he'd be gently, and he was. It was nothing like last time. We left there and headed back to the bus station. Tammy really wanted out of the stroller and was fussing, but had to stay in it. Before we even reached home, we had the result. We were both negative. But we're not out of the woods yet. The person testing positive is waiting for a more reliable test result, and if it's positive as well, we will have to go into quarantine for two weeks, just like they do. Let's hope it doesn't come to that, and that that person is healthy.

By 10:30 we were back home, just in time for Sammy's nap. I needed him rested for his physiotherapy session. And so we let him sleep until 11:30, when the other two came upstairs to eat. Just that noise woke him up anyway. And so Randy, Sonja and I fed them. At noon I left the house with Sammy, having decided to use the baby carrier instead of the stroller. I can't believe I never took a picture of us! That shows you how tired I was.

Before I left, I put Emmy to bed for his nap. After I left, they put Tammy to bed, once Emmy was asleep. However, Emmy woke up after half an hour, and they got him out of bed so he doesn't wake up his sister who slept two hours. You can imagine how cranky Emmy was the rest of the day; he would not sleep when we put him to bed again later in the afternoon.

I got to the clinic early for Sammy's appointment, and while we waited, I gave him some snacks. And today's session went really well, which is not always the case. She could really work with him, and she said that she could see progress, even since last week. She said that he was pushing himself up better and higher than before. She showed me how he should sit and lean and move. He was just a little cranky a few times.

The hour was up quickly, and we left to start our long trip home. I could barely keep my eyes open, but Sammy would not put his head down on my chest, though he was tired and fussing. We got home at 2:45, and as he had eaten snacks, I put him straight to bed, while the other two were just sitting down for their afternoon cereal with fruit. As I had not eaten, I started feeding Tammy, while Randy made me an omelet, which is what he had cooked for himself and Sonja. After they had been fed, I put Emmy to bed, and Sonja went downstairs with Tammy. Sammy was asleep quickly. Once it became obvious that Emmy wasn't gonna sleep (he was standing in bed crying) I got him back out, and he went downstairs as well.

I was thankful for the omelet, and for Sonja being with the kids, while I ate it, really just wanting to take a nap. I finally made myself get up and go downstairs to spend time with my children.

I always love playing with them, especially when I can make them laugh aloud. Sammy was a bit cranky and wanted us to hold him. Emmy was cranky because he was tired, and Tammy as well to a lesser degree. I finally left them to go get their food ready.

Half an hour later they came upstairs to eat. Again, they were pretty cranky and threw fits in their chair. They had both eaten their bread, but the fruit they ate in the bathtub. Sammy also finished his fruit there. In the bathtub it seemed that Emmy's tiredness was all gone. He was actually running up and down - a first - and having fun. Until he slipped, then he cried for a little bit, before going back to having fun. Randy left to pickup a second-hand slide, and I got Sammy out first, put him to bed, and then the other two. Then Sonja left. Sammy fell asleep right away, and so did Emmy. Tammy was whining a bit, but I never had to return and sit by her bed, which is rare. And so I got to get my dinner food ready, which takes some time. I had just finished, when Randy returned.

While I eat at night, I watch videos, programs, it's my only time to relax during the day. Once I'm done eating, I start office work. It's still early tonight, but I have yet to do all the cleanup. And while I'm really tired, I still hope to get a good bit of office work done. We'll see. Unfortunately Caritas helper Christine has canceled for tomorrow, as the Corona-positive person has not had the result of the reliable test yet. Only if it's negative will she come back. So no helper tomorrow.