Then the older one, Lacey, slowly rested her chin on his knee and just stared at the baby. No barking. No whining. Just that steady, wide-eyed gaze like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

The younger one, Max, crept up next to her and sniffed the baby’s foot once, then tucked his head underneath her little socked heel and stayed there.

My husband didn’t say a word. Just looked down, tears slipping under the brim of his cap.

And then, without taking his eyes off our daughter, he whispered: