[hockeypreg2]

"We are weaning her a lot earlier so we don't go through this again," Zach sighed. He brushed a hand over Savannah's curls. "I still feel bad making him stop but he's really too old. He's going to be 4 next month. We should be talking about potty training him not about nursing him."

Savannah pulled off and made it clear she was done, squirming up in Zach's lap to stand on his legs. She let out a loud burp, grinning proudly. "Good girl."

[Sam260]

"I know, but... He's growing up too quickly, Zach! I miss him being little and... dependent on us for everything." Caleb pouted and slowly shifted to a sitting position, still wrapped up in the blanket "We'll work on potty training this week. I took off from work the entire week..." Caleb said quietly and bit his lip lightly "I think... You know, if this works out, that I'm going to stop working again. I really do not want to risk anything happening to our baby, if it works out... and the hospital is just too stressful, and too dangerous of an environment to be pregnant at..."

[hockeypreg2]

"If we do this I am going to insist that you don't work during your pregnancy," Zach said softly. "I'm going to wrap you in bubble wrap for the next seven months."

Savannah started crawling over to the couch, determined to get to her Daddy. Zach watched her with a soft smile. "It's still crazy to have another baby so soon. She's not even going to be 15 months when her brother or sister is born."

Noah came back in, holding his sippy cup. "What baby? My brother or sister?"

[Sam260]

"Bubble wrap is a bit much... Can you make it really fluffy blankets? You know how cold I get, I think bubble wrap would make it worse." Caleb said as he hoisted Savannah up and situated her comfortably in his lap.

When Noah walked in, Caleb looked up and bit his lip a little. "Papa and I are... Just discussing the idea of... Uh... Maybe having another baby? What do you think about it Noah?" Never hurt to find out what their eldest thought, and if the 3 year old didn't like it now, they had seven months to try and convince him it was a good idea.

[hockeypreg2]

Noah looked at Savannah thoughtfully and then nodded. Aside from the nursing, he didn't mind Savannah all that much. She was starting to be fun and she really liked him. Another baby would probably be okay too.

"Okay. Papa have the baby 'gain?"

Zach shook his head. "No, it would be Daddy this time. If we have another baby."

"Daddy can have babies too?" Noah's eyes were wide, completely forgetting that Caleb had him.

[Sam260]

Caleb nodded and paled slightly "Of course... I..." he stood up quickly with Savannah tucked against his chest. He quickly deposited her into Zach's lap, much to her displeasure as she started whimpering and tearing up. Caleb bolted from the playroom, hand over his mouth and another against his stomach.

Noah's eyes only widened even more as he looked down the hall where Caleb was running, until the bathroom door slammed shut. He turned back to Zach and pointed his sippy cup down the hall "Daddy sick again..." he said, stating the obvious to his papa. He came back into the room and crawled into Zach's lap as well, sipping on his cup of apple juice and staring up at Zach for answers.

[hockeypreg2]

"Daddy's tummy is bothering him," Zach said, kissing Savannah's head and trying to settle her down even as Noah crowded on his lap as well. He hugged his kids, kissing both of them noisily. "And did you forget that Daddy had you, Noah?"

"Daddy had me?" Noah looked up at him, eyes wide. "Can I have babies?"

Zach shrugged. "Maybe. You'll find out when you're older."

[Sam260]

Noah seemed satisfied enough with that answer, nodding his head and laying it down against Zach's chest, lazily sipping at his sippy cup. "Daddy not gonna be sick long, is he?" Noah asked in concern, bright eyes looking up through wisps of blonde-brown hair.

Savannah didn't seem at all phased now, once Zach had finally calmed her down. She started bouncing on Zach's thigh, holding onto his shoulder and fingers, bubbles gurgling out of her mouth as she watched the door "Da-da!" she squealed and flopped to the floor on her diapered bottom, she quickly righted herself and crawled as fast as her chubby legs could carry her over to Caleb.

Caleb grunted, face still pale as a sheet, as he bent over and picked Savannah up and settled the baby on his hip "Sorry... This is probably the worst part of the whole thing..." Caleb said quietly as he moved back to the couch and settled in the corner, Savannah once again resting comfortably in his lap "Same way with him too... Every morning for what felt like three hours..." Caleb said with a sigh and laid his head back on the top of the couch, closing his tired eyes "How much longer until our appointment with Dr. Evans?"

[hockeypreg2]

Zach leaned back to look at the clock. "Pretty soon. I'll get their stuff together. Are you okay hanging out with them while I do that?"

Caleb nodded and Zach lifted Noah as he got up. He deposited Noah on the couch with Caleb and Savannah. Everyone was going to have to go to Dr. Evans' appointment this morning which meant packing up a whole bunch things to keep the two kids busy. Noah was going to get uninterrupted tablet time which they didn't do very often, but it was the best way to keep him occupied and not paying attention to what they were talking about. Savannah needed a selection of toys to play with to keep her busy. Plus they needed snacks. All the snacks.

Luckily Zach was pretty good with getting everything ready quickly. He had both bags packed and himself ready in ten minutes, heading back to the playroom.

"Okay, all ready. Does anyone need a diaper change before we get in the car?"

[Sam260]

Noah nodded and raised his hand "I squishy butt!" Noah said as he bounced off of the couch and waddled over to Zach, holding his arms up "I pee-pee'd so its easy!" Noah exclaimed.

Caleb shook his head slowly and stood up with Savannah in his arms, kissing the back of his daughter's head lightly "I don't need changing, daddy, but I think our little princess does need one... I'll deal with her if you handle him?" Caleb asked as he rocked Savannah back and forth lightly in his arms, humming against the back of the blonde-brown curls of their daughters head.

[hockeypreg2]

Zach bent down to pick up Noah. "Okay I got Mr. Squishy Butt. We'll meet at the front door when diaper changes are done and then head out."

Zach carried Noah up the steps since it was much faster then waiting for Noah to climb them. Noah was capable of dressing and undressing himself at this point and Zach had him get his pants off while he got a clean diaper for him.

"We are going to have to start sitting on the potty more often," Zach suggested to him as he secured his diaper. "You're a big boy now. You don't need to be using diapers any longer."

[Sam260]

Instead of going upstairs to change Savannah, Caleb just grabbed a diaper from the stash they had in the downstairs bathroom and changed her in the living room - the stairs were a daunting task at the moment as a wave of exhaustion and nausea hit him once again. Once he got Savannah in a new diaper securely, he sat on the couch and waited for Zach and Noah to arrive.

--

Noah looked up at his papa, playing with his belly button as his diaper was put on him "I don't like da potty papa. Is too big." Noah pouted his lips out and sat up when his diaper was put on.

"At school they have little potties for me, those are easier to get on... I can't climb onto the home potties."

[hockeypreg2]

Zach got him dressed again. "We can get you a special potty just for you to use and a special seat and stool to help on the big potty. Maybe later you and I can go pick out a special potty so it's one you definitely like. What do you think?"

Noah still looked skeptical as Zach carried him back downstairs. "I don't know. Daddy's sick. Maybe Vannah needs to come too."

Zach laughed. "Okay, if you want Vannah to come too, she can. We can give Daddy a rest." He found Caleb and Savannah in the living room waiting for them. "All ready?"

[Sam260]

Caleb nodded and set Savannah down onto her wobbly feet, holding onto both of her hands as he stood up "As I'll ever be..." Caleb said quietly as he started slowly walking forward, Savannah stumbling slightly along the way "Are you sure its a good idea to bring them with? I mean... We don't exactly want them knowing just yet, do we?"

Caleb grabbed Savannah's diaper bag and slung it over his shoulder, still supporting her with one hand as he did so. He bent down and carefully lifted her up, settling her on his hip "Or am I just being indecisive? I mean... We don't want to get everyone's hopes up - just to find out it won't happen?"

[hockeypreg2]

"Noah is going to be on his tablet and Savannah isn't going to understand," Zach said, picking up Noah's bag. He held Noah's hand as he locked the door behind them. "I think it will be okay. If things start to go south, we'll see if one of Dr. Evans's nurses can take them out of the room."

Once the kids were situated in their car seats with stuff to play with, Zach handed Caleb the car trash can. "Here. In case you need it for the ride. I have extra trash bags with me as well so don't worry about that. We can replace the bag if you throw up."

[Sam260]

Caleb nodded and clung onto the trash can tightly. His eyes were closed the second the car started moving and he groaned, dropping his head into the trash can when they hit the first bump in the road.

Caleb's stomach seemed to be extremely sensitive this time around and he hated it "Why is this happening to me?" Caleb asked after his last bout of vomiting, looking up at Zach with tears in his eyes.

[hockeypreg2]

Zach put his hand on the back of Caleb's neck, rubbing soothingly. "I don't know, baby. Maybe there is some medicine that can help. Did you take anything last time that helped?"

He drove as carefully as he could but there was traffic as always and they stopped and started. Savannah had no idea what was going on but Noah, who was normally very chatty in the car was quiet. It took them longer than Zach would have liked to get to Dr. Evans's office and by then Caleb had thrown up twice more.

"Do you want to take the trash can in?" asked Zach as he very carefully changed the bag.

[Sam260]

"I just ate saltine crackers and ginger ale - that seemed to keep most of it down, except for in the morning of course..." Caleb said quietly and rubbed his stomach, eyes closed against the moving scenery "It's not helping this time, though... so maybe Dr. Evans has a suggestion."

Throughout the rest of the car ride, Caleb spent it alternatively groaning, trying to sleep a little, and throwing up when rough bumps in the road jostled his stomach in the wrong way. He was so exhausted and drained by the time they got to the parking lot of Dr. Evans office, and he almost fell asleep the second the car was stopped for longer than five seconds, but of course, Zach just *had* to speak.

"Yes... I don't think I'm done just yet - if I ever will be... All day sickness is terrible... I cannot wait until the second trimester, that's when everything settled down the first time and I was able to be... Me again."

[hockeypreg2]

Zach leaned over and pressed a kiss to Caleb's forehead. "I love you. We'll make you feel better somehow. I'll do whatever you need me to do."

He took care of getting Savannah and Noah out, slinging both bags over his shoulder and holding Savannah on his hip. Noah held Caleb's free hand as they walked into the office, looking very worried about his daddy. Zach checked them in, settling down with the kids.

"Why don't you go splash some water on your face and rinse out your mouth?" Zach suggested. "We'll wait here. If they call you, I'll come get you."

[Sam260]

Caleb nodded and set the trash can down beside Zach before he took off in the direction of the bathrooms. Leaving Zach with Noah and Savannah and a clinic full of pregnant men and women - even at an early hour; there were several obstetricians in the building, so it made sense that more than one person would have an early morning appointment.

Noah climbed up onto the chair next to Zach and held onto his shoulder as he looked at all of the people in the room "Papa... How come everyone's so fat? They look like you when you had Vannah in your belly!" Noah exclaimed, his eyes wide as he stared, completely intrusively, at one young guy near them - he looked even younger than Caleb, and he was alone, practically bundled up in a huge hoodie and sweat pants.