A\N: I want to give a huge thank you to all of my friends who gave me ideas on how Christian families celebrate Christmas. I didn't want to overwhelm myself so I didn't use all of the ideas. However, I am going to write about other Christmas' in this series so I'll use some of the ideas then. I think that'll make more sense because the children will be older and they'll understand more about Christmas and be able to do more.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recgize from the movie\TV series.

Spoilers: None

Warinings: None

Chapter 32

December 24th

"Mommy!" Julia ran into her parents' room and jumped up onto the bed. "Mommy!" She began to shake her mother awake, "Mommy you slept through dinner! We need to get ready for church now," Julia informed her as Shane groggily opened her eyes.

"Julia Rose," Oliver shook his head at the four-year-old, "I told you not to wake up your mother. I do not like how you have not been listening. Do you think you should be allowed to sit beside Liam if you continue to act like this."

"Daddy, you can't help me get ready," Julia got off the bed, "You don't know what matches with red," She told the truth. "I need to wear red for Baby Jesus' birthday."

"Julia," Oliver rubbed a hand over his face and sighed, "Go into your room and find a dress you would like to wear to church. I do not want to see all of your clothes on the floor this time," He warned.

As Julia walked out of the room Shane sleepily laughed, "You know she's right, you don't know what matches with red," Shane pointed out to her husband."

"Our daughter is remarkably like you," Oliver turned to look at his wife, "Are you sure you are quite well?" He walked to sit down on the edge of the bed, he felt her forehead and was happy to see she didn't have a fever.

"I'm fine Oliver," Shane reassured him, "It's just the all the Christmas preparations have finally started to tire me out. "I'll be okay for church."

"There is food in the fridge for you. I think you should eat something before we go to church," Oliver told her.

"I will," Shane gave him a kiss as she got out of bed, "First, I'm going to go and stop Julia before she throws all of her clothes on the ground and then says she needs new clothes because she has nothing to wear."

"I will go help my father get the boys ready," Oliver said. He walked down the hallway and knocked and then entered his son's room only to find Matthew half dressed in his choir uniform of black pants and a white shirt and Lucas trying and unsuccessfully to tie his tie.

"Matthew told Lucas he couldn't tie his own tie and now Lucas is attempting to prove his brother wrong," Joe explained to his son, "I have already tried to help Lucas, but it seems he's confident he'll be able to tie the tie"

"I will Daddy I promise," Lucas said as he kept working on his tie.

"You have fifteen minute's Lucas. I am going to set the timer. After that you have to have your mother, Grandfather or myself tie it for you," Oliver set up the timer the boys had. "When the timer goes off fifteen minutes are up," He explained.

"Yes, Daddy I know," Lucas confirmed as he kept trying to work on his tie.

Oliver walked out of the twin's room just in time to hear Julia scream. A scream he knew was reserved for when she was not getting her way. He knew Shane could handle Julia's temper tantrums, but he also knew she wasn't feeling well. He decided to go into Julia's room. What he saw angered him. Not only were her clothes all over the floor but her toys as well.

"Julia Rose O'Toole! What is the meaning of this mess?" He asked, trying his best not to get to angry as he learnt that sometimes made the situation worse.

"Daddy!" Julia looked up at him and pouted, "I want to wear pink tights, but Mommy said no. I'm sad. Do you want me sad?"

"Julia," Oliver looked at her sternly, "We have talked about how it is not nice to say things like that. It is not nice to try and get someone to do something for you. Now you know you can wear whatever you want to play at home and with your friends. At church we need to look our best, especially tonight. Now you do what your mother says please."

"No!" Julia crossed her arms and stomped her feet.

Shane looked at her daughter and counted to ten to control her anger then she said in a calm voice, "That's fine Julia. "You can wear your pink tights. I think white tights are for bigger girls anyway. Big girls who know how to act respectfully."

Julia spun around and looked at her mother with a frown "No! I'm a big girl! I can act grown-up!"

"I don't know Julia, wearing white tights means you need to listen to what Mommy and Daddy say and be nice and patient. You're certainly not showing us you can do that."

"I can! Mommy I'll wear the white tights! I'll be good. I'm a big girl."

Shane had to contain her smirk of satisfaction as she watched her daughter put on the white tights.

Oliver walked up to his wife and whispered, "She has a long way to go before she out manipulates the master."

Shane smiled a little, "I'm hoping she grow out of this phase, but I don't think that's going to happen."

"No, I agree," Oliver kissed Shane on the cheek, "I am going to get ready."

Shane turned her attention back to Julia who had put on her white tights. Now all she needed was her red Christmas dress and her red and green Christmas hair bows. Shane got Julia' dress from her closet and handed it to ger daughter. Julia was able to get the dress by herself. Watching her Shane couldn't believe how much she was growing up, sometimes she wished the children could stay little forever.

"Mommy, can you do my hair please?" Julia requested after her dress was on.

"Of course, I can, very good manners Julia. I hope you keep being polite and nice," Shane got out Julia's special Christmas hair bows and her favorite brush and began brushing her hair.

When Shane was finished doing Julia's hair, she sent her daughter downstairs so she could get ready.

"Daddy! Grandpa! Lucas! Matthew! Look at my pretty dress and hair," Julia bonded down the stairs. "Da-" She stopped when she got into the family room and saw her father talking about the story of Baby Jesus to Matthew and Lucas. Julia knew when her father was talking, she needed to listen. She picked up her Nemo stuffed toy and sat down next to her brothers and listned.

When Oliver had finished the Bible Story, he looked at his children. Since he and Shane had thought they were still too little for midnight service they were going to an eight o'clock service. The advantages of that were that they'd be able to hear Matthew sing with the children's choir as they sang some songs, as well as see the Children's Nativity play. Something Matthew wanted to be a part of in a few years when he was older.

When the O'Tooles arrived at church it was busier the usual. Shane went to take Matthew to where the children's choir was meeting where Oliver went with his father to help settle the children in their seats before going to meet with the adult choir members.

Julia stood up on the pew and watched people come into the church, she saw some of her friends from Sunday school and smiled or waved. When she saw her mother talking to the parents of her best friend, she got very excited, "Liam! Liam!" She called out, "You sit beside me." She smiled as her best friend came to the pew with her parents.

"Julia, how do you ask nicely?" Shane prompted.

"Liam please sit beside me?"

"Can I?" Liam looked up at his parents, "We'll be extra good! We won't fight."

Liam's parents and Shane exchanged a look, they knew the possibility of the children not arguing over something was very slim.

"You two sit here, "I'll sit beside you," Shane told them.

As the church service began Julia and Liam reached for the same Bible, as they began to pull on it, they started arguing about who would get the Bible. Then, all of the Bibles on the shelf, and the shelf itself fall down and caused a loud bang on the floor.

Not knowing what to do or if she could fix the shelf Shane whispered apologizes to those sitting around her. "Julia, you come here. Right now," She whispered, her voice stern, "You are going to sit beside me now."

Julia frowned but did as her mother said and went to sit beside her mother and Lucas. By the time the service was nearly over Julia started to rub her eyes and yawn. "Mommy, I'm tired," She whispered.

"I know sweetie, don't fall asleep. You still need to apologize to Pastor Henry for causing the shelf to crash."

"Liam is going to be apologizing too Julia," Liam's father Peter told her, "It wasn't just your fault."

Julia sleepily nodded her head as she curled up agansit Shane for the reminder of the service. When the service was over the O'Toole family waited for Matthew and Oliver to come out of the choir areas.

"There they are, and look Daddy is talking to Pastor Henry," Joe took a very sleepy Julia into his arms, "Let's go and apologize to Pastor Henry, then we can go home," He told her as he carried Julia over to where the Pastor and Oliver were speaking.

Julia waited until Joe told her she could speak, then she said, "Pastor Henry, I'm sorry I made the Bible's fall down. I'm really, really sorry. Daddy and Grandpa can help you fix them."

"Well thank you for apologizing Julia," Pastor Henry smiled at the young girl, "I think the shelf will be easy to fix. I want you to remember though you need to be quiet in church. I am glad yu want to follow along with the Bible passages. If you want you can even bring your own, that way you'll always have one to look at. I bet you could even bookmark some of your favourite passages."

"That is a wonderful idea," Oliver said, he could see all three children were tired, "Lucas, Matthew, Julia, saw goodnight to Pastor Henry. We'll see him tomorrow morning for Christmas Day service."

The children all waved a very tired goodbye as the family walked out of the church.

Shane paced around the bedroom as she waited for the results of the test. She was almost sure she knew what the result would be, honestly, she was okay with that. Last time it had come as a complete surprise, this time it had kind of been planned. The only thing Shane worried Shane was that this time she'd be considered high-risk because of her pregnancy with Julia. As her alarm on her phone went off Shane went to check the pregnancy test, as she saw it was positive, she started to cry. She had taken two previous ones and all three had been positive. Throwing the test in the garbage she washed her hands and came into the master bedroom just in time to see Oliver enter.

"I have set up everything we need to wrap the presents downstairs," He told her, "If you'd allow me, I would like to give you your present now."

Shane could see the exactment in her husband's eyes and she decided she'd tell him now before he found out for himself, "You can, after I have a Christmas present for you."

Oliver walked over to her and handed her an envelope with her name on it. She opened it up and gasped in surprise as she saw a conformation slip for a 12-night cruise from Amsterdam in August. Reading the printed out ship itinerary she smiled as she saw one of the ports it stopped in was Stockholm. She saw a hot air balloon ride ticket conformation as well. She began crying as she looked at her husband and smiled, "Oliver this…thank you," She kissed him. "Who's going to watch the kids?" She asked, her stomach dropped as she then realized their new baby would only be three-month-old. She didn't know how comfortable she would feel leaving the baby. She told herself though that this was a once and a lifetime opportunity and the baby would be fine.

"I am quite certain there will be plenty of people willing to look after the children. However, my father as already offered, and I think that would make the most sense. All three kids will be in summer camp during the day hopefully so-"

Shane wanted to tell him before he continued so she blurted out, "I'm pregnant."

Oliver stopped talking and stared at his wife "You're pregnant?" He repeated trying to process everything in his mind. It didn't take him long before he smiled and then pulled her gently inti hid arms and kissed her. "How are you feeling? You should go to bed, I can wrap the presents."

"Oliver I'm fine," Shane promised, "I'm more feeling tired the usual and a little nauseous but no morning sickness yet. "I promise in a few months I will rest. Right now though I would like to wrap the Christmas presents."

"Are you quite certain Shane?"

"Yes, but the longer we wait the more tired I'm going to be so let's go," Shane took Oliver's hand and led her out of their bedroom and quietly down the hallway and the stairs and into the family room where the Christmas tree was set up.

TBC

A\N: So, what did you think? Will Shane and Oliver have another girl or boy? What do you think. If you follow me on Twitter look out for my poll.

Up Next: Time jump in April when a worldwide pandemic puts Denver on lockdown.