Did you ever notice how right before you went into labor the two youngest ones suddenly got miserable? Like one will get a bad cold or be teething, and the other will suddenly be difficult and unhappy ALL the time? I think they sense these things, perhaps because we are unknowing preoccupied and they need us...

Anyway, it has been that way all weekend, and I can't help but wonder if perhaps this one will arrive a bit early. (I don't want them to be hard to live with for another two weeks, that's for sure!) It is hard enough getting around without all that. I think this baby might be my biggest yet. Time will tell. I am so happy for all the help of my older children right now. They just pick up and do what needs to be done, making things so much nicer for me. It keeps me from getting too tired as well, so I can still keep on top of the preschoolers and read stories at night.

Have any of you read the Little House books about Caroline when she was a girl? We recently finished the final one in a series of four, and they were all great. Every bit as good as Laura's books. Now we are reading through the Crown and Covanent series. We read Duncan's War, King's Arrow, and Rebel's Keep.They are tough to read out loud, but thrilling just the same. We have read lots of good books this winter. Everyone really enjoys it and even though the little guys probably don't always follow it, they are listening. What a blessing to have books!