November 7

The best part of today was when Lily and Daisy both took nearly three-hour naps, and I was able to nap for an hour and a half, too. I woke up to the late-afternoon sunshine streaming through the trees outside my bedroom window, and it was lovely.

The worst part was 20 minutes later, when we went to get Caleb off the bus. When the bus rolled up, I could tell something was off - from my view on the ground, it looked like Caleb might be asleep. He wasn't; he was just really pale and droopy. When I unpacked his backpack at home, I realized that he hadn't eaten his snack at school, and that he'd barely touched his lunch. Then his teacher emailed to say that he hadn't been himself today, but she sent him to the nurse who determined that he didn't have a fever.

By the time he got home, though, he did have a low-grade fever, and he explained that he didn't eat because "People who feel sick don't want to eat." Poor boy. He's definitely fighting the stomach bug that has already hit Lily and Daisy. This time, I was proactive. I fed him some elderberry syrup and slathered him in virus-fighting  and immune-boosting essential oils. I'm praying he feels like himself when he wakes up in the morning.

At bedtime tonight, though, Caleb was being super sweet. He gave me a big hug, then gave my belly a kiss and told Yoey that he loved him. (We don't know if Baby #4 is a boy or a girl, but Caleb is certain that it's a boy named Yoey.) I explained to Caleb that Yoey's ears are developed now, and that Yoey can hear everything Caleb says to him. So Caleb began talking some more. Apparently my covered belly wasn't enough, so he lifted my shirt so that he could speak more clearly to the baby.

The pictures aren't the greatest, but it's a sweet moment anyway. I also love Daisy's photobomb.

Caleb was telling Yoey, "Hi, Yoey. We love you! I'm Caleb! I'm your big brother!"

Sweet brother, and a 23-week-pregnant belly.

And a stinker of a little girl, in her jammies, ready for bed.