Eddie and Buck couldn't wait to celebrate New Year's with Christopher and the newest addition to their family, Maisie, but neither were prepared for handling the holidays with a newborn at home. An exhausted Buck squinted at his phone to check the time but couldn't see the numbers clearly since they were blurring. He finally gave up and sighed. "What time is it?" he asked.
"Six," Christopher responded.
"In the afternoon?" he double checked, glancing out the window at darkness.
He laughed. "Yes."
"Fuck." He didn't think he could make it another few hours, let alone midnight. Damn this holiday that required people to stay up until a certain time.
"I can't wait until next year, when we don't have a three week old waking up all hours of the night," Eddie agreed with a yawn.
Buck glanced down at their currently sleeping newborn. "You're lucky you're so adorable and tiny and that I love you, kiddo."
"Why don't you just go to bed now? I can wake you up when the ball drops. At nine, not midnight," Christopher clarified.
His fathers glanced at each other. "You want to take him up on his offer?" Eddie just wanted to sleep for a week at this point.
"A nap sounds amazing right now," Buck agreed, slumping against him.
Right on schedule, Maisie's eyes fluttered open and she began to cry. All three of them groaned. "I got her." Eddie gently scooped up the baby and headed to the kitchen to grab a bottle. Once she was fed, burped, and back asleep, he set her down in her bassinet.
Buck and Eddie bumped into each other as they made their way into the bedroom. About fifteen minutes before nine, Christopher walked in and shook them awake. He turned the TV on but put the volume on low so it didn't wake up the baby. "Yay, ball drop!" Buck unenthusiastically fist-pumped.
"Next year will be better," Eddie vowed, pulling both his boys in for a hug.
"I miss sleep." Christopher yawned. He adored his sister but he was tired of being woken up all hours of the night himself.
They watched the ball drop, and then the three of them went to sleep - Christopher didn't even make it to his own room. Maisie woke them up crying less than an hour and a half later for a diaper change.
Christopher headed back to his bedroom and slept through the night. Buck and Eddie weren't so fortunate since Maisie woke them up a few more times.
This New Year's Eve had been hell on earth but the following year would be miles better, especially since Maisie was older and mostly slept through the night. Christopher certainly enjoyed the holidays a lot more this time around. Life with two kids was hectic and exhausting but a lot of fun. Buck and Eddie didn't regret a thing, especially once Maisie was no longer a newborn. They loved celebrating with their ever-growing family - both biological and their family of choice. Jee-Yun loved spending time with her cousins, and Buck and Maddie were thrilled to be together, as always. Life in California had worked out rather well for everyone, and they couldn't wait to see what chaos ensued in this brand new year.