5 years 6 months 3 days

Day 2013. This morning we had to get up early. Tammy had stayed in her own bed last night. Sammy was up early, as always, then waking up his brother. Tammy can sleep even with them making noise. Daddy then got up to make breakfast, then I also got up, and just after 8 am we left the house together.

As preemies, they've had a check-up at the university hospital where they were born every year. At 5.5 years old, this was their last one. We arrived at the hospital early, at 8:45 am, for their 9 am appointment We checked in, then went to the waiting room. We had just sat down, when we were called in for them to be weighed and measured. She asked who wanted to go first, and both Tammy and Emmy raised their hands. Tammy then went first. She sat down on a chair that is a scale, then she measured the circumference of her head and her blood pressure. Lastly she measured her height. Emmy came next, then Sammy. Sammy also did great. I could only tell he was nervous when she measured his blood pressure and pulse that were high.

We went back to the waiting room. Emmy and Tammy went off looking for toys, and Emmy found a vehicle he could ride. But we didn't have to wait long before we were called back inside. There was a young doctor who sat at the computer, then there were two other doctors listening. I sat down by the doctor at the computer, while Tammy went straight for the table that had paper and crayons, and Emmy found balls to play with. Sammy was with Daddy at first, then sat with me after he got hurt.

I started answering all the questions the doctor had about Tammy, then all the same questions again about Emmy. She had Tammy and Emmy write their names on paper, and they had to walk on a line, jump off a stool, throw and catch a ball and jump on one leg. Then the two other doctors went nextdoor with them and Randy for their tests.

Sammy and I stayed by the computer, as it was time to answer all the same questions about Sammy. Once we were done, we went nextdoor as well. Tammy and Emmy were still being tested, and I got to see a little what kind of tasks they had to accomplish. Putting shapes together to recreate the shape on a picture, drawing of different shapes, putting cards with dots in the order of the amount of dots on them, and some memory games. It actually turned out that they both scored the highest in long-term memory. The doctor said that they'll remember everything we say to them!

While I was watching and taking pictures, Sammy got to play with the door to the room, as it didn't bother anyone. Once Tammy and Emmy were done, the one doctor asked Sammy to accomplish some tasks, and he did really well as well. She kept saying how impressed she was with the progress Sammy has made this past year - in every way, but most of all in his speech.

Then they gave us the results for Tammy and Emmy.  Tammy scored higher than Emmy, and she scored on the top end of the scale in nearly every area. Emmy was just a little bit lower. I told her about the school readiness test last week that hadn't gone so well. She couldn't understand that at all given today's results. She said that Tammy was absolutely ready for school and even did better than her brother. Tammy was also glad to hear that and kept saying for the rest of the day that she was going to be a school kid and looking forward to going to school. I was relieved as well.

In the end, the doctors told us how impressed they were with how great a job we've done with them. They said they'd miss seeing them in the future and they were confident in them having a bright future ahead. We said our good-byes and left. But before we left the building, we stopped at the physiotherapy department to see whether Sammy's first physiotherapist was there. She wasn't, so we left the hospital.

It was already noon. We took the tram downtown, then got on the subway home, where we arrived just after 12:30 pm. And we didn't have much time. I put two pizzas into the oven, which was the quickest food option, but they didn't get cooked in time. So I made some sandwiches that we then ate on the way. Tammy, Emmy and I left the house just after 1 pm.

We took our scooters and rode it to the subway, took the subway and then the train. Then we still had a good walk to the tennis hall. We got there a few minutes before the 2 pm class started. There was just enough time for them to get changed and go on the court.

This is the third week I've been sick, but yesterday was the worst day. I had made it through this morning without medication, but today I did not sit by the window to watch them play tennis. Instead I lay down on the couch and closed my eyes, as I was feeling pretty miserable. It was just what I needed. My dozing was interrupted, when Randy called because Sammy was crying so hard as his favorite music insert for his headset was missing, and Randy was trying to leave the house with him. We still haven't found it.

At 3 pm the class was over and they got changed again. We took our scooters and went a different direction, to the tram. We then got on the tram and rode it a few stops to where the train and subway station was. That's where we were going to meet Randy and Sammy. We went to the elevator, and then they were already coming down on it. I gave Randy some of the tennis gear and took the soccer shoes from him, then we parted ways. Randy was taking Tammy and Sammy to ballet class, and he was taking the subway and then the bus. Emmy and I were taking the tram to the soccer club near our house. I had asked for information about them, and they had told me what the training hours for 5-year-olds were. As Emmy's soccer class only starts next week Friday, today was the perfect day to check out the soccer club to find out whether that could be place to go to in fall.

We got off the tram and walked to the club. We saw plenty of other kids go that direction. We went inside but were told to wait for the right trainer outside. We addressed another trainer coming by who then told us that there was no training for 5-year-olds today. I guess they had not given me the correct information on the email. Emmy was deeply disappointed. He's had such a long break from playing soccer and had been so looking forward to this! I felt really bad for him. We briefly looked at the soccer field and the players there, then we left.

We walked to the train station and took the train for one stop, which took us home. Emmy asked whether we could go to the skatepark with the scooters. I said we could go for a short time. He tried to go up and down for a few times, then he fell. He didn't cry, but it was the right time to end it and leave. We walked the rest of the way home.

By 4:30 pm we were back home. Finally. I turned the TV on for Emmy and lay down for a few minutes of rest. At 5 pm I got up to make the kids' dinner, then I turned my computer on for the first time today to get ready for my 6 and 8 pm students. At 5:30 pm Randy, Tammy and Sammy returned home, and they sat down to eat as well. I taught from 6 pm to just before 7 pm, then I took the kids downstairs for piano practice. Back upstairs it was time for the bathtub. After they were back out, I put Sammy to bed with a prayer, then there was still time for a story for Tammy and Emmy. After the story, I prayed for them, then they went to brush their teeth and then go to bed, while I sat down at the computer to teach until 9 pm. I was surprised myself how well I was doing physically to be able to do this.

After I was done, it was finally time to get something to eat. It was 9:45 pm before I sat down to eat my soup. Then I started working on the pictures. It was obvious that I was going to go to bed late tonight with two days of pictures and reports to write.