21 months 29 days

Day 668. Once again it was 2 am, when I went to bed. This morning we got up earlier than usual as well, at 7:40. I could hear Emmy saying "gaki" (poop), and while he can't take off the pant diaper that is taped to his clothes, he had opened the buttons of his pj's and had somehow gotten his hands in there. Randy changed him first.

After breakfast, I took them downstairs, where we were worshipped God, dancing and praying. Randy came to take my place, but before I was done cleaning up, he was already coming upstairs with Sammy, who had his private physiotherapy session today, and so I went back downstairs. A few minutes later Sonja arrived to help out this morning. By the time I was back upstairs, Randy and Sammy were already gone, even though it was still early, and Randy left without any drink or snack or even pacifier for Sammy.

Once I was done cleaning up, I sat down to do office work. I was pretty tired with nights recently having been too short every single night, but I powered on. At 11 am I stopped to start cooking, and just before 11:30 Randy and Sammy returned. A few minutes later everyone came upstairs to eat.

Chicken and rice with vegetables is one of their favorite dishes. I reloaded Tammy's chicken compartment four times! I'm glad they have their appetite back. Then they had yoghurt, strawberries and watermelon, before I cleaned them up and dressed them again. Emmy and Tammy went downstairs to play with Sonja, while I put Sammy to bed, and Randy left to go to the grocery store. A few minutes later I put Emmy to bed, who always falls asleep quickly now, and then Tammy, who was up a long time, talking to herself.

Even though I was tired, I went back to work after cleaning up. Emmy already woke up after an hour, waking Sammy up as well, but there was no more Sonja to take them to, as she had gone home, so I went downstairs with them by myself, as Randy wasn't back yet either. Thankfully the girl went back to sleep. Emmy was very cranky, wanted to be held, and wanted me to stand while doing so. When Randy arrived, he took my place, after having put the groceries away. I went back upstairs, and then Tammy woke up, and I sat down with her on the chair, while Randy came upstairs with the boys to feed them. It was still a little early for the afternoon meal.

Emmy went straight to the balcony door, and so I opened it, and Tammy was immediately excited to be going outside as well. And so we sat on the beach chair again, while I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open. They were having fun on the balcony for a while, and then we went back inside to eat a bite. I fed them their jar, while they were running around, and then they each had a bite of pure peanut butter and some watermelon. Then I cleaned them up and took them downstairs. When Randy came with Sammy, I left them and went upstairs to work.

However, I was so very tired, I simply could not work but fell asleep instead. That might have been a blessing, but I wasn't getting work done. At 4:45 I went downstairs to spend 45 minutes of quality play time with them, giving Randy a break. And we had great fun as always. Sammy impressed me again, when he again pulled himself up into a kneeling position by himself. He does not like lying down any more, but wants to be upright all the time. I can't blame him. So I put him on the little car and pushed him up and down, and then Tammy took over pushing him.

Emmy was cranky the whole time. He spent some time in the swing, as did Sammy, and Tammy wanted to fly off the slide again. She climbs up, and I take her hands and make her fly through the air back to the ground - over and over again. Once Emmy was out of the swing, he joined her going up the slide to fly, while Sammy wanted me to throw him into the air as well. So I was busy throwing all three kids through the air. And it was very hot, even with the ceiling fan. By the time I left them, I was covered in sweat.

I was also impressed by Tammy today. She climbed up the back side of this half baby bed that Randy set up for Sammy to use, and over the railing, then jumping off onto the thick mats. And she did that over and over again. When Emmy tried to do that, he got stuck, unable to make it over the railing, and I had to rescue him. He's still a few centimeters shorter than his sister.

Speech-wise, though, he's a little ahead of his sister. He talks more, says more words, and he was the first to say one of their names yesterday, when he clearly said his own name "Emmy", several times. He's also started to say "Mommy" when he's calling me, while he says "Mama" when it's not urgent. And I have heard him say "Daddy" when he's around Randy, while he usually calls him "Papa". Randy also thinks he heard him put two words together at the swimming pool yesterday, which would be a first. Emmy loves grabbing my phone, when he spots it, and puts it at his ear saying "hallo" (hello), which is just the cutest. As for Sammy, he still says "heiß" (hot) all day long, which is very true now, with this heat wave we're in.

At 5:30 Randy took my place and I went upstairs to make their dinner - less bread, as they've not been very interested in bread, probably because of the heat. They did not eat much at the table, but ate some more in the bathtub - until Sammy pulled down their plate so that everything fell on the floor. Emmy was pretty cranky, and then Tammy was too. Sometimes they just start crying, and you don't know why. Usually they want something. But at that moment of frustration, their ability to say any words disappears at this point of their development. Not for much longer though.

They all came out and went to bed. By 7 they're all in bed, and tonight it was even a few minutes earlier. While the boys fell asleep fast, Tammy needed over an hour to quiet down and fall asleep. I sat with her for a long time, until I'd had enough. She protested at first, but fell asleep soon thereafter.

Randy was once again picking some second-hand stuff for the kids up, while I made my food and ate. Then I finally went back to work. Today it's earlier, thanks to not having that many pictures, and I very much intend to go to bed at an earlier time today to catch up on some sleep.