The bed moved early the following morning with giggles giving away the reason. Jamie and Eddie both opened their eyes greeted by two pairs of eyes staring back. Groaning tiredly Jamie moved his arms from around Eddie checking the clock 8:00. "It's to early guys go back to bed."
"But daddy there's snow outside," Joe answered quickly, widening his eyes pleadingly. Seeing his brother's tactic Mary followed suit receiving chuckles from their parents.
"Go downstairs we'll be right down and not outside. Right to the kitchen for breakfast first okay?" The siblings scampered off giggling the entire trip downstairs while their parents laid back down.
Eddie rested her head on his chest wanting nothing more then to snuggle together and fall back asleep with him but knew their kids would come back in a minute. "Come on lambchop we better get up." She leaned up onto her elbow offering a kiss softly letting her hand rub his stomach.
Jamie grabbed her wrist before she moved locking eyes with her. "I was thinking of what you said last night and it'd be nice to give Joe a brother." Eddie's eyes twinkled squeezing his hands pulling him up with her. Hands locked they stopped to check on Allanah glad she was sleeping soundly.
Joining the kids in the kitchen Eddie started coffee while Jamie made pancakes for everyone. Joe brought napkins to the table, Mary the orange juice passed by Eddie.
When the pancakes were brown Jamie put two in each dish bringing them to the table. Once the coffee perked Eddie poured coffee for her and Jamie carrying them over. "Daddy can you please cut my pancakes," Joe pushed his dish over watching his father cut the stack into smaller pieces.
The baby monitor buzzed with a soft wail as Allanah woke. "I got her," Jamie finished cutting for Joe starting upstairs. Allanah sat up in her crib wailing, reaching her little arms out trying to escape. "Where you going," Jamie laughed softly lifting her out.
"Da dada," Allanah cuddled into her father babbling as she was changed. Jamie picked her back up kissing her head bouncing while taking her downstairs.
"Can we play in the snow, please?" Joe and Mary looked between their parents eyes wide pleadingly. Eddie laughed shooing them upstairs to change ink their snow outfits to play. Jamie placed Allanah in her high chair making her a bottle.
A half hour later everyone was dressed and ready to go have fun, the older kids in their play snow outfits and Allanah wearing a pink puffy snow suit hands covered by tiny gloves, her head protected with a pink hat and little black snow boots on her feet.
Joe and Marie stepped through the mountains of snow laughing each time they fell into the soft pile. Allanah stayed behind with Eddie restricted by the outfit. Smirking Jamie picked up a handful of snow into a snowball throwing it gently hitting Joe. When he turned around Jamie picked up another doing the same to Marie.
"Hey! Come on Joe get daddy!" They ran through the white powder laughing as they chased Jamie managing to grab and pull him down laughing.
"Let's make Frosty," Mary suggested gathering snow to start the bottom humming frosty the snowman as she worked. Joe grabbed what he could with his little hands helping Mary pat the bottom.
While the kids worked Jamie turned back to check on Eddie and Allanah figuring they'd just be sitting by the door. As he turned a medium sized snowball hit him in the chest Eddie smirking.
Returning the smirk Jamie bent down to make a snowball receiving another to the shoulder. "Hey," he protested tossing one back hitting her arm. Moving away from Allanah so she didn't get hit Eddie quickly scooped more throwing another, the kids oblivious to their parents.
With the temperature dropping they stayed outside for an hour before heading inside the warm house. Eddie and Jamie helped the kids change , letting them play while they made hot chocolate with marshmallows. "Mommy, how much longer until Christmas," Mary asked in between sips.
"Not very long baby only a few more weeks."
Mary looked around the kitchen a minute before coming up with another question. "Mommy, if we don't have decorations will Santa Clause be mad and not bring presents for us even though we've been good?"
Eddie and Jamie shared a laugh at their daughter's innocence. "No he won't be mad but we can start decorating today that way when the snow melts we can get our Christmas tea," Jamie suggested with a smile. Both kid's eyes sparked quickly finishing their hot chocolate so they could get started.
To put them in the Christmas mood Eddie turned on a Christmas station letting the holiday music fill the house. Jamie took out all the holiday decorations for them to put up in each room minus their tree. Mary helped Joe put the stockings up each name decorated in glitter.
"Mommy, should we put something for baby Jesus because it's his birthday? You and daddy give us stuff for our birthdays," Mary spun around a serious look in her eyes.
"I'm sure we can think of something," Eddie smiled. She was amazed at the conversation and thoughts of their older children seeing a mix of her and Jamie, smart with questions beyond their years but a hint of sassiness sometimes.
The house glowed with holiday spirit as nutcrackers watched from on top of the mantle the room transformed with white fake snow cover over the table to place the moving train set. On the side table away from busy parts of the room a Nazareth set of when baby Jesus was born.
Letters written to Santa they were almost ready for the holiday. Stuck indoors they filled the afternoon with games until dinner, and began their traditional Christmas movies starting with Frosty.
At eight the kids sleepily went upstairs escorted by Eddie to help them wash up before bed. Jamie came up ten minutes later after putting Allanah to bed sitting on Joe's bed reading twas the night before Christmas. Each night they would read a different Christmas story before the kids fell asleep.
"When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter," Mary and Joe chimed in eyes already closed struggling to hear the end of their story falling asleep one line after.
Smiling Jamie brought Mary to her bed, tucking her in with a kiss to her head joining Eddie in the living room for beers and a movie. Wrapping an around Eddie brushing his hand down her arm nuzzling her. "You work tomorrow?"
"Yea, early morning you work midnight right," Eddie sighed enjoying the warmth of his arms especially on such a cold night. She entangled their fingers together glad for moments like this.
"Yea.." Their heads resting together Eddie lifted hers up meeting his for a kiss finishing the movie cuddling together under the blanket. At nine Jamie turned everything off going upstairs with Eddie to their room.
"I love you," Jamie whispered cupping her cheeks for another kiss holding her close. Tomorrow he'd talk to the kids about Eddie's Christmas gift needing help if he was going to pull it off.