Children and Snow

Summary: Angela is very excited by the snow storm. Set during the upcoming Christmas special!

A/N: This story was a gift and is dedicated to Greet! Merry Christmas, Greet, from me and the Turners!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

"Mummymummymummymummymummy!"

Shelagh groaned and felt around for her glasses on the night stand.

"What is it, Angel girl?" she asked sleepily.

"Snow! The snow!" Angela screamed excitedly before she ran from her parents' bed to the window to look out at the winter wonderland that appeared overnight. "Mummy, can I go in the snow?!" she bounced up and down and Shelagh forced herself out of bed to calm her before she woke Patrick and Teddy.

"Shh, sweetheart, it's only," she glanced at the clock and sighed, "5:30 in the morning. Why don't we go back to sleep for a little while and then when everyone is awake and we've had breakfast, then we can go in the snow, okay?"

"No, mummy, snow!" Angela pouted and Shelagh counted to five in her head. She loved her daughter dearly, but Teddy had been a nightmare until three and she'd barely gotten two hours of sleep. Thankfully, Patrick was awoken by the small snow disagreement.

"Angela, do you remember what we talked about yesterday?" he whispered. Angela looked down a little sheepishly.

"Be extra nice to mummy?" she asked softly.

"That's right," Patrick affirmed, "and why do we need to be extra nice to mummy?"

"Cause Teddy is bad." she said confidently. Shelagh turned to Patrick waiting for a good explanation.

"What? No, darling," he quickly corrected, "Teddy isn't bad at all. Teddy is very good, it's just that Teddy is very small and he doesn't always know how to behave like his big sister does and so mummy has to take extra care of him and it makes her sleepy."

"Oh yeah." said Angela. Patrick looked back to Shelagh, terrified that she might be mad, but he found her smiling. Thank god.

"Now, we'll make you a deal. Go back to bed until the little hand is on the seven and then daddy will take you to see the snow while mummy makes breakfast, okay?" Patrick asked hopefully.

"Okay!" Angela agreed and both exhausted parents tried to hide their sighs of relief as she shuffled out of the room.

On cue, Teddy woke up and started snivelling.

"Oh, no." Shelagh could've sobbed she was so tired.

"Go back to bed, love, I'll get him." said Patrick.

"Thank you dearest, but you don't have what he wants." Shelagh pointed out. She crawled back into bed and unbuttoned her nightgown while Patrick retrieved their squirming son. Luckily, Teddy knew exactly what he was after and immediately latched on, leaving Patrick and Shelagh with a bit of quiet, if not sleep.

"Patrick, go to sleep, you don't have to stay up." Shelagh suggested.

"Yes, I do." he insisted. "If I don't you might fall asleep sitting up and he'll roll off the bed."

"I can't tell if you're joking." she murmured.

"I don't know either." he admitted. "We're both exhausted."

"I didn't realize you had to talk to Angela yesterday."

"It was nothing." he waved it off. "She's just realizing that Teddy takes up a lot of your time and I think she's a little jealous and it's making her act out. She'll get used to it."

"I don't want her to feel ignored." she worried. "Maybe I can go play with her after breakfast with Tim and you can watch Teddy?"

"I think that sounds lovely." he snuggled against her head. Teddy finished eating and smacked his lips happily before falling back asleep. Shelagh looked down and beamed as she rubbed his head.

"I know I'm about to fall over, but I couldn't be happier, Patrick. He's the best Christmas present I could've imagined."

"Our little miracle." Patrick whispered. "Does that mean you don't want any of the presents Santa brought you?" he grinned.

"Oh, well, I wouldn't want to offend Father Christmas. I think I can handle his presents as well." she teased happily.

Patrick kissed her and put Teddy back in his cot before they both passed out.

Angela was back at precisely 7:00 and at 8:00 when Patrick walked awkwardly back into the house with snow down his pants, Shelagh knew she wouldn't trade all the sleep in the world for time with her ridiculous family.

Merry Christmas, readers!