Disclaimer: I own nothing of CSI
Note-I'd like to thank JennaTN for giving me this idea!
Early Christmas Visitors
"Hungy." Jasmine whined as Nick, Jackie and all three kids waited at the airport.
They were picking up Nick's parents who were coming for an early Christmas visit. His parents weren't going to be able to make it for Christmas because they already had prior commitments but they couldn't stand not seeing their grandkids for the holidays so they decided to come for a visit beforehand since they had a couple days off. They only had the weekend to stay and they would have much rather been able to be there when it was really Christmas but spending some time with them was way better than not spending any at all.
"I know you're hungry sweetie, as soon as we find grandma and grandpa we are going to go home and eat dinner, I promise." Jackie said.
Minutes later they found his parents and after hugs all around they went home.
"So Jackie, does Jasmine still call Johnna, Donna?" Jill asked with a smile as she helped Jackie set the table.
"Yep, watch this." She replied.
"Jasmine, tell grandma what your baby sister's name is." Jackie instructed her.
"Houden." The little girl said.
"No, that's your brother, what's your sister's name?" Jackie corrected her with a laugh.
"Donna." Jasmine said with a grin.
"There ya go." Jackie said to the child.
"That's so cute." Jill said.
"Yeah, she's something." Jackie agreed.
Once they had started eating they all engaged in small talk.
"So mom, it's Friday and you leave fairly early Sunday morning, and since you won't be here for Christmas, I was thinking you could make us hot chocolate, and cinnamon pancakes for breakfast tomorrow morning, just like you used to do for us on Christmas morning when we were kids." Nick said sounding hopeful.
"I take it you liked that tradition?" His mother said with a laugh.
"You bet." He answered.
"I suppose I could do that." She said with a smile.
"Great, thanks." He said.
"You know Nick, you guys should start Christmas traditions for your kids." Jill said.
"Yeah, we should." Nick agreed.
"I love the tradition you guys started for the kids' birthdays, with the newspaper. I forgot how that goes. Remember Nicky, you were telling me about that one day?" Jill said.
Nick stared at her blankly.
"I'm not sure what you're talking about." He admitted.
"Oh, I think she's talking about how we buy and save a newspaper every year on the kids' birthday." Jackie said.
"Yeah, that's it." Jill said.
"My mom started that tradition actually. Every year on my birthday she'd buy a newspaper and keep it in a box in the closet, that way when I got older I could look back and see what happened every year on my birthday. Over the years I really enjoyed looking at those papers, I still do it once in a while. I liked it so much that I wanted to do it for my own kids, and I have, I haven't missed one yet."
"That's a really neat idea actually." Jill said.
"Thanks, I think so too, except my uncle thought I was crazy when right after Johnna was born I insisted that he go buy me a newspaper." Jackie said with a grin.
Jill laughed.
After dinner Roger and Jill got Jasmine and Houston into their pajamas and then read them a story before tucking them in for the night. Meanwhile Jackie fed the baby a bottle and then rocked her to sleep. When all three kids were down for the night the four adults sat and talked before finally going to bed themselves.
The next morning Jackie awoke to go to the bathroom. She realized the baby hadn't made a peep for several hours so she went to check on her. Jackie smiled as she glanced in the crib, Johnna was just fine. Jackie was just about ready to leave the nursery and go back to bed when she heard a thud in the kitchen. She went into the kitchen to see what was going on.
"Jill?" she asked as she saw her mother in law digging through the cupboards.
"Oh sorry Jackie, did I wake you?" Jill asked.
"No, I was awake, can I help you find something?" Jackie asked.
"Yeah, I was looking for a pan so I could make the pancakes."
"Oh, that pan is down here in this cupboard, but really, you don't have to make us breakfast, it's your vacation, we should cook for you." Jackie said.
"Oh no, that's alright, I don't mind." Jill insisted.
Before long everyone was enjoying their breakfast.
"How are they Nicky?" Jill asked.
"Heavenly." He replied.
"Oh good, so I haven't lost my touch then?"
"Nope." Nick assured her.
Everyone enjoyed the pancakes, well almost everyone that is.
"Yucky." Jasmine said crinkling her nose after taking the small bite of pancake that Jackie gave her.
"Yucky, Jazz, you are a real goofball." Nick said.
Jill laughed as she got up from the table.
"I have an idea." She said as she took Jasmine's plate and walked it over to the counter.
Jill went to the fridge and took out the whip cream. She then took the whip cream and made a huge smiley face on Jasmine's pancake with it. After that she walked over and set the plate back down in front of the little girl.
"Funny." Jasmine said as she giggled happily.
Jackie cut her off another piece of the pancake and then dipped the cut off piece in the whip cream before giving it to Jasmine.
"There, is it yummy now?" Jill asked.
"Yeah, good." Jasmine said, shaking her head rapidly.
Jill laughed "That's good." Jill then glanced over at Houston.
The sweet little guy had managed to rip off a huge hunk of pancake which Nick was now trying to wrestle away from him, and it wasn't going too well for the seasoned CSI.
"Houston, you can't stick that whole thing in your mouth, you'll choke." Nick said as he continued to fight Houston for the big piece of pancake.
"He eats like his father." Jackie said with a grin.
"And grandfather." Jill added as she smiled at Jackie.
"I don't eat like that." Both Nick and Roger said at the exact same time.
Jill and Jackie burst out laughing.
After what seemed like a never ending battle Nick finally managed to get the hunk of pancake away from Houston.
"AH" Houston screamed in protest.
"Yeah ah, here." Nick said as he tore a small piece of it off and gave it to the child.
After breakfast the family got ready and took the kids to the park. After the park they went to a toy store where Jasmine and Houston were aloud to pick out several toys (and with Jasmine's and Houston's input, Johnna also got a lot of cute things) which were paid for by Nick's parents. Jill and Roger insisted that that was their Christmas presents from them but Nick and Jackie both had a feeling that they would get even more presents from them on Christmas.
After toy shopping they went sightseeing, mainly stuff the kids would enjoy.
Everyone had so much fun, Nick just wished his parents didn't have to leave the following day. He also wished his parents lived closer. Jill and Roger called Nick and Jackie all the time, most of the time to talk to their grandkids, and obviously the kids were spoiled rotten by them when they did get to see them. Roger and Jill made several trips out to Vegas a year and Nick, Jackie, and the kids made it out to Texas at least once a year but Nick wished they could see the kids all the time. Even though the kids loved his parents, and the kids were doted on by Roger and Jill, there was no substitute for being their everyday to see their milestones, and just the cute little day to day things. Jackie's parents saw the kids nearly everyday, Jackie's mom was their babysitter every weekday while Jackie worked, so naturally the kids were closer to that set of grandparents. Nick loved his in-laws and was incredibly happy and grateful that they were so involved in his kids' lives, but he wished his parents could have the same experience with them.
All too soon the morning came and they were dropping his parents off at the airport.
"You ok?" Jackie asked as they headed back to their van after his parents were through security.
"Yeah, I just wished they could have stayed longer." He replied.
Jackie nodded in agreement.
Nick smiled as he climbed into the drivers' side of the van. He completely agreed with his parents, it was way better to see them a little bit then not at all.
The End! Please Read and Review!