Day 1358. It was a typical morning with Emmy being up early. After breakfast, I cleaned them up and dressed them, then they went downstairs with Randy to play. As for me, I sat down at the computer to work. I had not felt that great yesterday, and after an intense weekend, I was pretty worn out. And so work was slow-going this morning. I was thankful I didn't have to cook as there was enough left over from my birthday lunch yesterday, when we had ordered in. Still, it was after noon before we sat down to eat. Everyone had dessert, then the kids started watching videos. Just after 1:15 pm I told them it was time to lie down for their nap, but it took some time for them to go use the bathroom, get cleaned up and dressed. By about 1:30 they were in bed, and once again Emmy started crying for a pacifier. It was day 2 of no pacifiers. I let him lie on my chest, but he didn't stay there for long before wanting to return to this bed. I held his hand, and Tammy's and Sammy's, only two at the time. Sammy fell asleep first, then Tammy got close. Emmy usually falls asleep first, but not today. I walked away but had to come back because of him. Finally they were all asleep, and I left them. It was after 2 pm.
I was pretty tired as well and eventually lay down and closed my eyes. I was close to falling asleep a few times, but the bad cough and runny noise I'm dealing with woke me back up. I heard it, when Sammy and Emmy woke up, then Randy went downstairs with them. I don't think I slept long or much, but was surprised, when it was later than I had thought, when I got up around 3:30 pm. Tammy got up right after me, and then also went downstairs. I went to work, and my 4:30 lesson came around much faster than I had hoped. I taught until 5:20 and quickly put my coat and shoes on so we could all leave the house.
We moved very quickly to make it to the train station in time to take the 5:32 train, and we did. We were in an old train with stairs, and it had a lady working in there who ended up giving our children play tickets. She even punched them with her big machine. The kids were excited. They're getting tickets like that pretty frequently now. After we got off the train, we walked the rest of the way to the school, where the exercise class was. There is a little wall along the sidewalk t hat the kids always walk on, and today both of them showed that they did not need to hold our hands any more while walking on it. Tammy definitely not, Emmy was a little unsure and only did it to be able to do what his sister was doing.
We were at the school early, and it was the first time the teacher had also come early. At first there were very few other kids, then a few more arrived. Our kids ran straight to the ladders along the wall, and Tammy was up on the very top in no time at all. Randy was a little uneasy about it. And Emmy being afraid of heights, wasn't so sure about being that high either.
The teacher handed out hoops, and we started the class the way we always do - the kids being horses and running to the other end of the gym and back. I was once again running with Sammy, and the other two with Daddy. We ran three rounds, and Sammy won each time. Then they lay down on the ground, and we pulled them there and back, also three times. Randy then did an extra tour with Sammy, as he enjoys it so much.
Then the teacher told them to make the hoops roll, and they did pretty well. He also gave out balls to everyone. I started playing ball with Sammy, who was laughing a lot, just enjoying himself, playing with Mommy. I'd roll the ball to him, and he'd roll it back. He's really good at catching. Randy played with the other two. When Tammy needed to go to the bathroom, and I left Sammy to take her, he was not happy at all.
When we got back, the vaulting box was up, and they were still setting up the rings. All three were eager to go swing in the rings. I showed them both how to swing up into the rings, and then how to swing back down. Emmy is better at it, Tammy was not that keen on doing it. She just wanted to swing, the higher the better. For Emmy it does not need to be as high as possible.
I was swinging Tammy, when Emmy ran away and ran under the other rings, where a kid was swinging. The teacher scolded him, telling him not to do that, and Emmy broke into tears, crying hard. When he gets scolded and he doesn't even know he did anything wrong, he takes it really hard. I tried to take him into my arms, which usually works, but today he scratched me bad and continued trying to scratch me. It even looked like he wanted to bite me. The teacher tried to explain to him that it was dangerous running under the kid in the rings, but he was unable to listen. He finally stopped kicking in my arms and calmed down. I held him for a while and calmly talked to him, explaining to him why it wasn't smart to do what he did. I also told him I knew he hadn't meant to do anything wrong. After a while I put him back down, and he continued playing like nothing had happened.
Sammy went into the rings last, and he just wants to spin and spin around, which is easier than having him swing and still holding on to him. He was upset, when I got him out, but later he got to go in a second time. He was doing really well. And then Tammy and Emmy both got to be in the rings at the same time, swinging next to each other, and having fun. I thought they'd never come out, but they did.
And then they still went to the vaulting box to jump off. Emmy again needed my hand to have the courage to go to the top, but needs no hand jumping off. Tammy wanted me to take her picture while in mid-air, and I did. Then they both jumped together a few times. The teacher was already putting everything back up at that point and needed to put up the big, thick mattress. The kids jumped on it and enjoyed being pushed, while other kids joined them on there. Once it had reached its resting place, they did have to come off.
And then the only thing left to do was the final race. Tammy and Emmy raced to the other end of the room and back - three times. Sammy had already been watching videos on Daddy's phone for a while and wanted to continue, not race. Then the class was over. We put their shoes and coats back on - after another visit to the bathroom with Tammy and Emmy - and left the school to walk back to the train station.
Again Tammy and Emmy walked on the wall. They were eating the apples I had brought along, while Sammy was the only one eating the sandwich I had made. We'd just missed the 7:23 train - a first - but the next train came at 7:31 pm. We got on and were home just after 7:45.
I warmed up some leftovers that they were eating at the table, then cut up fruit that I took to them in the bathtub. Normally they don't go into the bathtub on Monday nights, but since they hadn't gone the last two nights, tonight was the night, even though it was already late. Because of that it got really late before they were in bed by about 8:50 pm. Tonight they had not even asked to read a Bible story. I prayed for them and flew them into bed. Sammy briefly asked for a pacifier, and I was surprised that Emmy never did. And he didn't even cry! That was a first, and it's only day 2 of no pacifiers! I told him I was proud of him.
However, they were very much awake and talking. I myself was worn out and not feeling great and just wanted to walk away. At 9:30 or so Randy finally took my place, and I went to the kitchen to get something to eat. It still took some time for them to get quiet, especially Sammy. I ate, then went back to work. Now it's 2 am and time to clean up the kitchen before going to bed.
