18 months 13 days

Today we were supposed to have Caritas helper Christine, but we didn't. Because of the positive Corona test of someone we had recently spent time with. So we were on our own, waiting to hear the result of the more reliable test the person had taken.

We got up as usual at 8 am, fed them, then Randy took them downstairs, while I went back to bed. I woke up, when he brought them back upstairs to put both boys to bed at 10:30, even though Emmy is in the process of changing to one nap a day after lunch. Today he was too tired. And so I changed my alarm to 11:30, moving lunch to noon. Emmy woke up just after I got up, and then Sammy, and they went downstairs, while I went to work cooking lunch. I had already put the chicken in the oven after breakfast, so it was just the rice and vegetables left to make. I could hear them downstairs that they were getting hungry. Once they came upstairs, they came to the kitchen to beg for food, but I had already put their plates on their tables, so Tammy threw a fit. Once in their chairs, they got really quiet being busy eating. Tammy cleaned her plate and ate the little Emmy had left over as well.

As we had to leave rather early, I put Tammy straight to bed instead of getting yoghurt and fruit out. Then I took Emmy downstairs, where I waited for Randy to come down with Sammy, so I could go back upstairs to clean up and get ready for our departure. And I needed all that time.

At 1:30 the boys also came upstairs, which woke up Tammy, and we started dressing them all, getting ready ourselves, then putting them into the strollers, and off we went on time. We had two subways and a walk ahead of us. As my Mom couldn't help today like she usually does, Sonja agreed to help out, and we met her after getting off the second subway. In fact, we were 25 minutes early, so I took advantage of the office supply shop there while waiting. As the little ones were skipping their afternoon meal, I had fruit drinks and snacks with us that we were feeding them.

We arrived at the pediatrician's early, but my brother got there just after us, handing me the shots and papers my Mom had procured for us. Both my Mom and my brother live in the area there - the area we moved out of.

We registered and went to the baby waiting room - not sure they still qualify to be in there. We had the room all to ourselves. Sonja was holding Sammy at first, and then I did. Tammy and Emmy enjoyed exploring the room, getting onto the couch, Emmy was sliding the table around, Tammy was taking the shots out of the bag, and she kissed her brother Sammy. They had fun, and we had fun watching them. We stayed in there a while, before we were called in.

We undressed them, they weighed them, and then they came with the stethoscope to listen to their lungs, looked into their ears and their mouths. I had bought the doctor's play kit so they'd lose their fear, but they were screaming the same way they did last time. Not just a little, as hard as they could! I had hold them so tight just so the doctor could even look. She told me babies behave like that until they are 2 to 2.5 years old.

After the basic examination, they could put their bodies back on, while they were preparing the shot. The very last shot to protect premature babies from respiratory diseases. Sammy's was ready first, and so he went first. Daddy and Sammy were the orange boys today, and he was the one holding him while he got the shot. Then it was Emmy's turn, and then Tammy's, and I held them each, while Sonja was holding the other one. They were screaming, but it didn't take that long for them to quiet down again. We dressed them again and left, walking back to the subway.

Sonja was going the same direction for the first part of our trip. What a blessing it is to have her in our lives, and for her to be able to fill in for my Mom like that.

Emmy fell asleep in the stroller, as expected. Sammy skipped his afternoon nap and was just cranky. We got home a little before 5 pm, so we all stayed upstairs, while I went to work getting their dinner ready. They'd come up to me for bread while I was cutting their food. Tonight I had to fill the bathtub twice, as it got too full, with me being busy and not turning the water off early enough. So I opened the drain and then forgot, getting busy, so the bathtub was empty again. Sigh. Anyway, at the table it was pretty much the same story as always. Emmy was getting cranky and started throwing food, so I took his plate away. Tammy did better. Once she stopped eating as well, I combined the rest of their food on one plate that I took to the bathroom. They finished their food in the bathtub. And so did Sammy.

They came out in their usual order, though Emmy had to come out right away when Sammy did, as he was crying, just wanting out. Sammy was crying after I put him to bed, so I took him out and held him for a little while. He was pretty tired. Once I put him back into bed, he was okay. I walked away and thought that all was good, but Tammy's crying increased, and I found her standing in bed, waiting for me. Once I came, she lay down, and I sat down to stay with her for a while. I was pretty much falling asleep in the chair there while waiting for her to fall asleep. Emmy was still awake and a little restless, but then went to sleep as well.

I was very tired, had something simple while laying down in our bed, and then went straight to work cleaning up. So it was 11 pm tonight before I sat down at the computer - probably the latest ever. And now it's nearly 3 am, so I won't get much more work done tonight. How will I ever catch up!

And by the way - the reliable test the Corona-positive person took was negative. No Covid anywhere. Thank God. No quarantine for anyone, and Christine can come back on Friday.