19 months 19 days

It was another 3:30 bedtime, but today we already had to get up at 7:30 as Sammy had his physiotherapy session at the hospital. By 8:30 he was in his stroller and left with Randy, and Sonja was so kind to come early, so we took the other two downstairs, I opened all the blinds, and left them there. After having cleaned up, I went back to bed. The advantage of getting up earlier was that it was still earlier and I had more time to sleep than usual.

I was woken up at 11 am, turned the food warmer on, and went back to bed, and fell asleep again. Just before 11:30 I got back up, put Sonja's food into the oven, and got their food ready. Then everybody came upstairs to eat. Randy and Sammy were back to. Sammy had fallen asleep in the stroller just before they got back, and continued sleeping for a few minutes at home, until the noise we made woke him up. Randy said that he had done well in his session, climbing up and down stairs and opening drawers.

Tammy and Emmy ate really fast, before I could sit down with them, and then I got out the watermelon, banana and yoghurt. When they were done, I cleaned them up, and then I put Emmy to bed, and Randy put Sammy to bed. And then the party started. It was as bad as yesterday. Sammy had already slept a little, so he was not tired, and he was greatly entertained by his brother, laughing all the time. I don't know how many times I went to them to try to get them to sleep, but to no avail. Sonja was downstairs with Tammy, and I brought her her food, once it was ready.

Finally Emmy was about asleep, only because I had stayed and stroked his head, interrupting my own meal countless times until it was cold. Sammy was clearly not gonna sleep, so I took him to Sonja and wanted to pick up Tammy. She didn't even want to go with me, having so much fun with Sonja. I put her to bed, but she wasn't ready to sleep yet either, so it took a while there too. By 1:45 she was asleep too, but it was really late again.

I never got to take a nap today, just too much going on. Randy went on a quick run to two stores. Emmy woke up rather early, and did not want to sleep on me after that, so I took him downstairs to his brother. At 3 pm, I couldn't wait any longer to feed them their afternoon meal, so I called everyone upstairs. Emmy ran straight to his sister, waking her up. Everyone sat down at the table and had their cereal with fruit as well as fresh fruit. Tammy was pretty cranky, having just woken up.

Once they were done, I cleaned them up, but we didn't dress them, as we had a messy project ahead of us. We went downstairs, and got some fingerpaint out, to make a gift for Grandma's birthday today - their handprints. Tammy and Emmy were pretty sceptical of the paint. I thought we'd just play first, to get them used to it and have them enjoy it. No chance! Emmy was scared of it and stayed at a distance. Tammy was on my lap and wanted nothing to do with it either. Sammy was with Sonja and didn't care, so we started with him and got decent handprints done. Tammy and Emmy were watching the whole time from a distance.

Then it was Tammy's turn. She screamed and tried to get away with all of her might. It reminded me of the way they act at the pediatrician's. There was no chance of doing handprints, so I decided to do footprints instead, which seemed easier. I put the pain on her feet and put her feet on the paper. It was a fight, but it turned out well. Randy and Sonja took Tammy and Sammy to the bathroom to clean them up, and I grabbed Emmy who did not want to come close to a Mommy with paint all over her. I put the paint on the boy who was fighting against it with all his might, and put his feet on the paper, but only one worked out nicely because of his resistance. The second try did not work at all, so I just took him to the bathroom as well. Something that was supposed to be fun did not turn out that way!

We all went back downstairs to the play area and started playing. Tammy wanted to have books read to her, and Sammy stayed close to me. With all the activity around the print, we had completely forgotten that Sammy was supposed to go to bed after the afternoon meal, having only slept a few minutes. But when I realized that, it was already too late in the day. So I did my best to keep him happy, even though he was tired.

And then Tammy, Emmy and I started the chasing game which they love so much and makes them laugh so hard. It was fun.

I got a cute video today of Emmy jumping, which you've just gotta watch. Tammy was very fascinated of Sonja's case for her glasses, and spent a long time examining it.

Emmy's body was way too big, and one time both arms slipped out of the sleeves, which is when this picture was taken.

Just before 5 pm I left them to get their food ready, and they came upstairs before 5:30 to eat. Sonja sat down with them, while I was still grating the apple and pear. They just prefer eating them that way. And they started throwing food again, but this time Sonja was there to stop it right away. It didn't take long before she had taken both their plates away. I combined their food on one plate and took it to the bathroom. Then Emmy went into the water, then Tammy, and then Randy brought Sammy. They continued eating there and playing. Tammy was pinching her siblings AND adults and bit Sonja, after we stopped her from biting her brother.

I then put them to bed in their regular order. And as expected, they started partying again instead of sleeping. Except for Sammy who fell asleep fast. I had to return several times. One time Emmy had slipped of half his pajama, and Tammy had completely taken off her pj's twice. The second time I put a sleeping bag on backwards, which had been suggested to me, but I had been concerned that it going all the way up to their throat would be unpleasant. However, it was wide enough that it didn't bother her, and it's stayed on since. Emmy was the one demanding my presence again tonight, and I had to stay and stroke his head a few times, and he'd start crying when I'd walk away. I finally sat down by their beds until he was asleep. The girl was still up, but was okay with it, when I left.

Finally, I had a chance to get my food ready, which takes time, and then eat, and when it's all done, it's later than you'd think. Now it's after midnight, but I have finished cleaning up and picking the food for tomorrow, and still have some time for office work.