Christmas time continues and here we ave an extremely excitable Regina. I hope you all enjoy!
It was Christmas Eve. Regina had been very excited that whole day. Cora had dropped Regina off at Emma's apartment needing to go and meet Rumple to organise getting Regina a horse. Regina had run rings round Emma and Henry and by the time Cora was back to pick her up they were both very tired, although Regina still seemed to have all the energy in the world.
Cora had gotten Regina home, given her some dinner and had now managed to get her into the bath. She had left Regina to play for a little bit while she went to sort a few last minute presents out but now she was back in the bathroom and helping Regina wash up.
"Mommy…" Regina said as she moved the bubbles around in the bath.
"Yes Regina?" Cora replied leaning over and grabbing the shampoo from the side of the bath.
"It my birthday soon right?" Regina asked leaning back into Cora's hands as she rubbed the shampoo into her hair.
"That's right Regina, after Christmas your birthday is soon." Cora said.
"I know what I want." Regina said.
"Oh do you?" Cora asked. "Close your eyes sweetheart."
Regina closed her eyes while Cora poured a cup of water over Regina's head to wash out the soap from her hair. "I want a kitty." Regina said happily as Cora reached over for the conditioner.
"You want a cat? I thought you wanted a horse Regina?" Cora asked with a slight frown.
"I do want a horsey but that for Christmas. I want kitty for my birthday." Regina said. "I want an orange kitty."
"An orange cat." Cora said laughing a little and Regina nodded her head. "Well I will have a think about it Regina."
"Okay mommy but I think it be a good idea to get kitty." Regina said looking at Cora with all seriousness.
"I'm sure it would be a good idea but like I said Regina I will think about it." Cora said washing the last bit of soap out of Regina's hair. "Alright Regina time to get out of the bath." Cora said standing up and getting the towel from the side. She held the towel out and Regina stood up in the bath. Cora then leaned over wrapping the fluffy towel around Regina and lifting her out of the bath.
"Mommy what time does Santa come tonight?" Regina asked as Cora dried her.
"I'm not sure Regina. Why?" Cora replied.
"Cause I think I should wait up for him and make sure he like the cookies we make." Regina said.
Cora smirked a little as she dropped the towel on the floor and leaned over to get Regina's fluffy snowman onesie. "You can't wait up for Santa Regina. Santa will come here when it's very late and for him to leave you some presents you need to be asleep." Cora tried to explain as she helped Regina into her onesie.
"But what if he not like the cookies mommy?" Regina asked worriedly.
"I am sure Santa will love the cookies we have made for him but if you want you could try one just to make sure they are going to be okay for Santa…" Cora suggested knowing what Regina had been hinting at all along. As soon as they had finished making the cookies earlier that evening Regina had not stopped asking if she could perhaps taste one.
"I think that good idea mommy. I don't want Santa to not like cookies." Regina said seriously and Cora tried her best not to laugh at her young daughter.
"Alright then, why don't we go and get some milk and a cookie and we can sit down and watch a couple of cartoons before we have to go up to bed?" Cora suggested holding out her hand for Regina.
"Okay mommy." Regina said happily as she placed her little hand into her mothers and happily skipped along beside her as they headed downstairs. Cora told Regina to go into the living room and turn on the TV while she went and got her a cup of milk and a cookie. She returned but stood in the doorway for a moment just looking at Regina. She couldn't help but notice how cute her little girl looked in her snowman onesie. She wished she had really taken Regina in the first time around. Regina looked round and gave her a toothy grin and patted the sofa beside her. "Look mommy Tom and Jerry on." Regina said excitedly. Henry and Emma had introduced Regina to the world of Tom and Jerry and she had fallen in love with the cartoon. Cora suspected this was perhaps where the idea of having a cat came from.
Cora walked over and sat on the sofa. She placed Regina's milk on the coffee table and gave her the cookie. She then pulled Regina onto her lap and brushed her hair and tied it into two plaits. She kissed the top of Regina's head and held her close. Regina shuffled a little and tried to reach over to the coffee table. "Can't reach milk mommy." Cora leaned over and picked up Regina's 'special' cup with a lid and a curly straw that she just loved. She handed it to Regina and Regina leaned back onto Cora's chest, half her cookie in one hand and her cup of milk in the other. Cora smiled as she heard Regina giggle. The time of Regina being little was running out and Cora hoped she would never forget the sound of her little girls giggling.
"Mommy can we get a mouse?" Regina asked.
"There I am going to have to draw the line sweetheart. It will be a no on the mouse." Cora said.
"Aw but why mommy? Jerry is a cute mouse and he is cool." Regina said with complete seriousness.
"Regina you do know that if we got a mouse it wouldn't be like Jerry? Real mice don't quite do all the things Jerry does." Cora said hoping if she said that it would put Regina off the idea of getting a mouse. Cora had a feeling the adult Regina wouldn't be particularly fond of a pet mouse.
"Wouldn't it?" Regina asked with a confused frown.
"No sweetheart. Why don't we perhaps stick to maybe a horse and a maybe a cat…" Cora said.
"Okay mommy." Regina sighed. She took the last bite of her cookie and she finished her milk, handing her cup to Cora once she had finished. "I think Santa will like cookies mommy. They yummy." Regina said and Cora smiled.
She kissed the top of her head. "I am glad Regina. Now why don't we go upstairs and get into bed? We can have a Christmas story before sleep."
"I guess." Regina said slipping off of Cora's lap. "Are you sure I can't stay up to talk to Santa mommy?" Regina asked as she walked up the stairs holding Cora's hand.
"I'm afraid so sweetheart. Little girls need to be asleep if they want their presents." Cora replied. They walked down the hall and into Regina's bedroom. Cora helped Regina up onto her bed. She got her cuddly toy horse and tucked her in before picking up one of Regina's Christmas story books. "Shall we read 'The night before Christmas'?" Cora asked and Regina nodded her head happily. She snuggled down into her covers and gazed up at Cora as she started to read the story "'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung on the chimney with care, in hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there."
"Who St Nic…Nic'las…" Regina asked.
"St Nicholas is another name for Santa sweetie." Cora answered.
"Ohh." Regina hummed.
"The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads." Cora continued. She read the story with Regina interrupting every so often with questions but as she reached the end she glanced down at a sleeping Regina and smiled and whispered the last part softly. "But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight. "Happy Christmas to all and to all a goodnight."" Cora closed the book and placed it down onto the bedside table. She fixed the covers around Regina and placed a soft kiss on top of her head before exiting the room, making sure to leave the door open a little in case Regina got up. She then went back downstairs to try and prepare all of Regina's presents.
Cora was awoken by a very excited Regina the next morning at half past four. Regina had bounded into the room, the door crashing against the wall and running over to the bed. Jumping up onto it and squealing. "Mommy wakes up. We needs to see if Santa been!"
Cora groaned and turned over a little to see the time and groaned even more when she saw just how early it was. There was no way they were getting up yet. "Regina it is far too early to see if Santa has been." Regina mumbled snuggling back into her covers.
"No mommy it not. Santa gots to have been now." Regina said bumping down on the bed and crawling over to Cora. She leaned over and patted Cora's cheek with her small hand, frowning as her mother's eyes remained closed. "Mommy wakes up."
"Regina darling, if you lie nicely in my bed for a little bit then we can go down stairs and see if Santa has been. But right now it is just a bit too early to go down stairs." Cora sighed turning onto her back and looking at her excited three year old.
"But I not tired mommy." Regina mumbled sticking her lip out a little.
Cora sighed and sat up a little, opening her arms for Regina to crawl into. She did so and rested her head on Cora's chest. "Why don't I sing you a song?" Cora asked.
"Okay mommy." Regina said cuddling into her mother.
"Silent night, holy night. All is calm, all is bright. Round yon virgin mother and child. Holy infant so tender and mild. Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace." Cora sang softly as she ran her fingers through Regina's hair. She glanced down and could see Regina rubbing her eyes and trying her hardest to stay awake. Cora knew all the little things that would work on Regina. "Silent night, Holy night. Shepherds quake at the sight. Glories stream from heaven afar. Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia! Christ the saviour is born, Christ the saviour is born." Cora said watching as Regina's eyes fluttered closed and Regina held onto her a little tighter. "Silent night, Holy night. All is calm, all is bright. Round yon virgin mother and child. Holy infant so tender and mild. Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace." Cora sang softly as she felt Regina fall back to sleep. She kissed the top of her head and rested her head on top of Regina's as she let sleep take over herself for a little bit.
Cora got an hour of sleep before Regina was back to being wide awake and very excited. She had managed to get herself out of her mother's hold and had went back to jumping up and down on the bed. "Mommy can we Pleaseeeeee go down and see if Santa been? Pleaseeeeee mommy." Regina said sweetly.
Cora smiled, knowing there was no way she was getting Regina to stay in bed any longer. So she nodded her head and pushed herself out of bed laughing at Regina's very excited squeal of being allowed to go down and see what Santa had left. Cora pulled on her dressing gown while Regina quickly ran back into her room to get her cuddly toy horse. Cora met Regina at her bedroom and held out her hand for her to take.
They walked down the stairs, Regina practically jumping and Cora having to warn her to be careful a couple of times. As soon as they reached the bottom Regina let go of Cora's hand and darted over to the living room and gasped as she ran over to the Christmas tree and saw all of the presents underneath. Cora grabbed her phone and pressed to record wanting to video Regina's reaction of Santa having been. Cora had created snowy footprints and had made sure the cookies and carrots had looked like they had been eaten and the milk had been drunk. She wanted it all to look perfect for her little girl.
"Mommy Santa been! Santa been!" Regina squealed jumping up and down clapping her hands excitedly. Regina then ran over to the empty plate and glass they had left out. "Mommy look Santa like the cookies we make."
"So I see sweetheart." Cora smiled. "Why don't you go and see what Santa might have left you?" Cora sent her recording to Rumple and she then sat on the sofa and watched as Regina opened her presents. She got quite a few dolls, a kitchen play set, a dolls house, many dressing up outfits along with many horse things and minions. Regina seems to be over the moon with everything she had received that she hadn't even talked about or noticed the fact she didn't have a real horse.
A couple of hours had passed and Cora was cleaning up all the wrapping paper while Regina was trying to open half the boxes her toys were in. She had managed to break free a doll and had convinced Cora to get out the pram she had got and some baby accessories. She sat playing with those and Cora quickly went and made a quick breakfast and got Regina some juice. She let Regina eat it in the living room while she went and got dressed. Just as she was walking down the stairs she got a text from Rumple telling her he and Belle would be there soon so they could show Regina her surprise present that Santa had left for her at the stables.
Cora walked into the living room and smiled as Regina wrapped up her doll and placed her in the pram. "Regina sweetheart would it be okay to leave your baby for a little while so we can get dressed?" Cora asked.
"Yes mommy. My baby's name is Grace." Regina said placing a pretend bottle in the pram too.
"That's a lovely name honey. Right let's go and get dressed. Daddy and Belle will be here soon." Cora said.
"Henry coming too?" Regina asked.
"Yes sweetheart but not until a little later on. Everyone else will be round later." Cora said. She had organised to host Christmas since it was a special one this year. She took Regina upstairs and sat her on the bed, having already picked out her outfit of the day. She had picked out a red velvet dress with white tights and a white cardigan and Regina's black patent shoes with a bow. She helped Regina to get dressed and then one her hair, half up and half down tied with a red ribbon. "Beautiful my darling." Cora said kissing Regina's cheek.
"Thanks you mommy." Regina said curtseying making Cora laugh.
The door bell rang and they both went down stairs to answer it. As soon as Regina saw Rumple she jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly. "Merry Christmas daddy." Regina said sweetly and kissed his cheek.
"Merry Christmas princess." Rumple replied.
Regina then looked over to Belle. "Merry Christmas Belle." Regina smiled.
"Merry Christmas to you too Regina." Belle replied.
"Come see what Santa brought me daddy and Belle. I gots lots." Regina said wriggling to get out of Rumple's arms. Rumple placed her down and let her drag him and Belle into the house and over to the living room.
"Wow Regina. You certainly did get lots." Belle said. "Your very lucky."
"I gots baby. She called Grace." Regina said wheeling the pram over to show Belle and Rumple. "And horsey and minion stuff and princess dresses."
"Wow. I can't wait to see it all but you know Regina I got a special letter from Santa." Rumple said crouching down to Regina's height.
"You gots letter from Santa?" Regina asked instantly hanging off her father's every word.
Rumple nodded his head and he reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper that was folded up. He unfolded it. "It says that Santa left some of your presents with me and there is a special one we need to go and find."
"There is? Where is it?" Regina asked staring down at the letter even though she couldn't really read.
"Well he left me a map so that we could help you find it. Would you like to go and find it before we open the other presents?" Rumple asked.
Regina nodded her head excitedly. "Yes please daddy."
"Well let's get your coat on then Regina." Cora said holding out Regina's cosy winter coat. Cora put on her coat and they all made their way out of the house. Regina held onto Cora and Rumple's hands as they walked down the street, Belle walking on the other side of Rumple. Rumple pretended to read the map he had got Henry to make for him and he lead them towards the stables.
"Okay Santa says we need to go in here Regina." Rumple said leading them into the stables. He looked around and saw the man who ran the stables and gave him a nod. He lead them over to one of the sections where a chestnut coloured horse rested. "Santa says your present is in here Regina." Rumple said leaning down and lifting Regina up. "There she is." Rumple said pointing to the horse.
Regina gasped and looked from Rumple to Cora. "Santa got me real horsey? He member that I want real horsey!"
"I told you he would darling." Cora said smiling at how happy Regina looked.
"She so pretty. What her name daddy?" Regina asked.
"Her name is Cassie. Santa thinks you will be very good at taking good care of Cassie." Rumple replied.
"I will daddy. I promise." Regina said happily.
Cora and Rumple smiled at each other. This is what they had imagined for Regina's first Christmas and although they still had much of the day to go the first part was already more perfect than they had quite imagined.