Merry Christmas

"Mommy?"

I wake up to the sound of my 3 year old daughter. She's standing in the doorway of my bedroom. Her hair in a high pony tail, her candy cane pajamas on and her teddy bear at her side.

"What is it baby?" I look at the clock and see its only 3am.

She comes over to me and I help her climb into the bed with me.

"Did you have a bad dream?" I ask her.

She shakes her head. "I want daddy."

My heart hurts for her. I know that he'll be home for Christmas. He promised Emma and I that he would be. Christmas is only 2 days away so I just know that he will be.

"I know honey but don't you worry." I kiss her forehead as she cuddles closer to me. "Daddy will be home soon. Would you like to sleep with mommy tonight?" Truthfully, I want her to sleep with me. I don't want to be in this big bed alone for another night. I just want Chandler home. We both do. We have plans to go to my parent's cabin this year for Christmas. I even had Joey go set the tree up for us. And all the presents that Chandler and I got for each other and for Emma area already up there and wrapped. All we have to do is put them under the tree after Emma goes to bed on Christmas Eve.

She nods her head and closes her eyes.

I don't like these business trips he goes on. It's only once a year for a week but that week just so happens to always be in December. This is the first year though that it is this close to Christmas.

The whole next day I try my best to keep Emma busy so she doesn't think about her dad not being there as much. It helps me too. I take her outside to build a snowman. Which of course she names Olaf.

"Send a picture to daddy." She tells me jumping up and down excitedly.

"Ok baby. Stand next to Olaf."

I laugh when she does. The snowman is bigger than she is. She's a short little girl so that's not saying much I guess.

When my phone makes a ding sound, Emma claps her hands together and gets all excited. "Did daddy write back?"

I pull my phone from my jacket pocket and see the new text that is on my phone. "He sure did." A smile, on my face now.

I bend down so Emma can see it too.

"What does it say momma?"

"It says: Aww Emma looks so cute and that's a cool looking snowman. I love and miss you guys so much. I will see you soon.

Her eyes light up and she gasps. "Daddy is coming home."

I nod my head. "He sure is honey."

After we get done playing in the snow, we go in. I make hot chocolate with the little marshmallows that Emma loves so much. Then I have her pick out a Christmas movie to watch. Of course she picks out 'Frosty the Snowman'. We have watched that a lot this holiday season.

"No we have to wait for daddy." She tells me that night as I zip up her pink Dora coat.

I sigh and help her put her gloves on.

"I know honey. I know. Daddy will come. But right now you and mommy are going to go to the cabin. Ok?"

She nods sadly.

The idea just like every year was that we would all go to the cabin together. Chandler got stuck in some holiday traffic though. He wanted to come home earlier but his boss insisted that he stay longer. So Chandler called and suggested that Emma and I got ahead and go. The he will meet us there. I am really hoping that it is before Emma goes to bed for the night.

We get to the cabin and Emma just loves the Christmas tree. Joey did such a good job with it. He even added ornaments of all her favorite Disney characters.

And of course, Emma and I watch Frosty again. I think I know this movie word for word by this point.

Emma is curled up on my lap. She has her teddy bear in her lap and her head is on my chest. I kiss the top of her head and rest my head on the back of the couch.

I must have fallen asleep because I am woken up by lips softly against mine.

I wake right up and smile when I see who is standing over me. "You made it." I say with a smile on my face.

He kisses me again. "I wouldn't miss Christmas with my two girls." He looks down at our sleeping daughter that is in my lap. He gently picks her up. Her head rest on his shoulder and of course, that teddy bear is still in her arms.

He kisses the back of Emma's head and holding her like he never wants to let her go. I don't blame him. He's been gone for a week.

"I missed you baby girl." He whispers and kisses the back of her head.

She moves a little bit in his arms and opens her eyes.

"Daddy, you're here." She smiles sleepily.

He smiles and kisses her forehead. "Of course I am here. I wouldn't spend Christmas without you sweet girl." He gives me a wink and brings her to her bed.

He comes back a few minutes later and joins me on the couch. It's dark in here except for the Christmas lights that fill the room.

He lifts my legs up and puts them on his lap. The rubs my leg gently. He meets me half way, giving me another kiss.

"How are you Mon? You haven't been doing too much, have you?"

I smile. It's sweet that he cares so much still. Even after being married to him for 5 years now.

His hand comes to rub my slightly rounded stomach. "I still can't believe that in 5 months, we are going to have another daughter." After a year of trying for another baby, we were getting ready to give up. Then I found out that we were going to be parents again.

"So I have some news." He rubs his hand over my stomach one more time before moving his hand to hold mine on my lap.

"What is it?" I'm wondering if this is good news or something I should be worried about.

"I talked to my boss. I don't have to do those trips in December anymore. I told him we're getting ready to have two kids and that I just didn't want to leave you guys anymore. So." He smiles. "I can stay here at this office all the time now. And he said, I can work from home any time I need to. That way I could help with Emma more throughout the day. That way you can rest more. Especially when you get further along."

I grab his face and kiss him. My heart is bursting with happiness right now. "You're amazing." After a lot of thinking when I got pregnant again, I switched to part time. Chandler is making a lot more money now that he got promoted last year. So I am able to do that.

He shrugs shyly. "I try."

He stands up and reaches out to take my hand. "Want to come up to our room?"

I take his hand and stand up. "I would love too."