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"Mama… mama!" Emma whispered loudly as she walked up to Andy's side of the bed.
Andy woke up disoriented and looked at her daughter, "Emma what's wrong?"
"Nothing, when are we doing cookies?" Emma whispered again.
Andy looked at her bedside clock, "baby, its not even 7AM yet. Cookies aren't until later… much later," Andy yawned. "Do you want to come snuggle with me before its time to get up?"
"Nope," Emma ran out of the room.
Andy laughed tiredly; her daughter was such an energetic five year old and the Christmas season was such an extra exciting time. By five years old, Emma was Andy's identical twin. She had the bambi eyes, Andy's nose and mouth and the same colour brown hair. When Emma was born Oliver joked that Emma didn't have an ounce of Sam in her but that Andy had just cloned herself. That was mostly true, except when her dimples made an appearance, other than that she was Andy's replica.
Andy turned over in the bed to see that Sam was waking up. Andy smiled as she snuggled in closer.
"Was Emma just in here?" Sam asked, barely opening his eyes.
"Yeah she wanted to start the baking now," Andy laughed. "Told her to give us a little more time to sleep."
"She gets that from you, you know. Her over excitement about Christmas… and baking," Sam said with a cheeky smile.
Andy opened her eyes, "its not over excitement, its normal excitement," Andy defended her daughter.
Sam chuckled at his wife, "go back to sleep or she might hear us."
Andy was awoken by the sound of babbling through the baby monitor, her two-year-old toddler was now up and ready to start the day.
As Andy walked into the nursery, she saw Emma talking to her little brother. "We're baking cookies today and if you're good you can help. Maybe. You can't put my things in your mouth, "Emma explained.
"Are you keeping Noah in line Ms. Emma?" Andy smiled as she walked into the room to pick up her son.
"Just making sure he knows the rules. Daddy's says rules are im-por-tant," Emma said, still trying to master that word.
"Oh yes, daddy loves rules. He always plays by the rules. Make sure to ask uncle Ollie about stories with daddy and rules ok?" Andy said while laughing.
Emma didn't catch the irony but just nodded her head.
"Alright buddy, are you ready for breakfast?" Andy asked her son as they all left the room.
"Dada?" Noah asked as they reached the kitchen.
"Daddy's still sleeping," Andy answered as she put him in his booster chair.
Noah smiled at his mother, "shhh."
Andy laughed at her son, "yes that's right baby. We need to be a little quiet so we don't wake up daddy."
"Cookies now?" Emma asked looking for her little apron Sam had bought her a couple of months ago.
Andy laughed at her overeager five year old, "not yet Em. You need to have breakfast first and then we can have cookies."
Emma gave her mother a very unimpressed look but she knew not to question her. The faster they had breakfast the faster they could start baking.
"Any preferences for breakfast?" Andy opened the fridge.
"Can I have eggs, bacon and toast?" Emma asked.
Andy gave her a daughter a funny look, "when did you turn into a fifteen year old boy? Can you eat all that?"
Emma patted her stomach and looked at Andy, "oh yes mama."
Andy let out a laugh; this girl was priceless and definitely had her father's appetite.
"Ok eggs, bacon and toast for you and eggs for you little man?" Andy asked as she pointed the spatula at Noah.
"Yaa," Noah squealed.
An hour later, three breakfasts done and one mess on the floor thanks to Noah; it was time to start baking.
Andy placed Noah on his play mat in the living room with Boo and then turned her attention to her little Christmas baker.
"Ok Chef Emma, what kind of cookies are we making today?"
"Christmas cookies!" Emma answered excitedly as she tied on her apron.
"Ok so shortbread cookies?" Andy clarified.
"Yes mama that's what I said, Christmas cookies."
Once all the ingredients were in the bowl Andy helped Emma mix the batter.
Emma stood on a stool watching her mother put the cookie batter on the cookie sheets.
"When can we do the icing?" Emma asked impatiently.
"Cookies need to bake first and then we need to let them cool and then we can decorate them," Andy smiled at her daughter who was really only interested in the creative part of baking.
"That's going to take foreveeeer mama."
"We can go wake up daddy while the cookies bake. Jump on daddy a lil bit?" Andy said giving her daughter a mischievous grin.
"Ok," Emma laughed.
Once the cookies were in the oven Emma ran upstairs to wake up Sam.
"Daddy! Daddy! Wake up!" Emma yelled as she jumped on the bed.
"Hmmmm no daddy needs sleep," Sam chuckled while turning over.
"Mama said I could come wake you up when the cookies bake," Emma said as she climbed over her father.
"Oh is that what smells so good? You're baking already… its barely 9AM. What happened to the little girl who slept in the next room who liked to sleep in," Sam asked as he started tickling Emma.
Emma laughed loudly as Sam tickled her, "because its Christmas soon and we need cookies!"
"Mama said to come down stairs for breakfast," Emma said as she wiggled herself out of Sam's arms.
"Ok I'm coming," Sam got up as Emma ran out of the room.
"You guys sure had a jump on the day," Sam said as he walked down the stairs.
"Well once your son woke up, there was no stopping her," Andy gave Sam a good morning kiss.
"Do you want me to make you some breakfast?" Andy asked.
"No it's fine, I got it. Thank you wife," Sam smiled at Andy.
The oven timer went off a minute later. "Finally, the cookies are done," Emma said as she ran into the kitchen.
"We have to let them cool for 10 minutes," Andy said as she put the tray on the counter.
"But… that's boring" Emma stated.
"Yes, but the icing will melt," Andy explained.
"Ok fine… but you tell me as soon as we can ice them!" Emma said sternly.
Andy laughed at her daughter's serious tone, "yes ma'am."
Ten minutes later Andy called Emma for the icing. Andy placed Emma on her stool and gave her different coloured icing and let her go at it.
"This one is a pink star," Emma explained as she placed it on the baking sheet.
"And this one is Boo," Emma showed her mother.
Truthfully, at five years old, the icing was a little messy in design but Andy thought that her daughter's work was brilliant.
"So good baby."
A little while later Emma was content to just watch her mother decorate the cookies.
She stood on her stool and looked at Andy. "Mama do you know what I want for Christmas?"
"What do you want for Christmas?" Andy asked even though they had already bought her a ton of presents.
"I want a sister," Emma announced.
Emma's answer took Andy by surprise and she looked at her daughter at a loss for words, "you already have a sister, silly."
"I want a baby sister," Emma clarified.
"Oh I see," Andy nodded still not exactly sure how to answer this question.
"Don't you want me to have a baby sister? You and daddy are always saying that I'm a good sister."
She had a point, they did always tell her what a great sister she was to Mya and Noah.
Andy decided to try a different tactic. "I thought you said you didn't want another baby since Noah cried a lot?"
Emma sighed and looked at her mother dramatically, "yeah but that was a long time ago and everyone else has a baby sister."
Andy smiled; it wasn't that long ago Noah was a baby he just turned two.
"Really? Everyone has a baby sister? Like who?" Andy looked to her daughter.
"Well Katie has a baby sister and Nathan's mama is having a baby girl soon. Even I was a baby sister…so why don't I get one?" Emma looked at her mother with her sad bambi eyes.
"Oh baby," Andy smiled at her daughter's innocence. "You know A LOT of work goes into having a baby. Do you think you could handle having another crying baby in the house?"
Emma nodded, "Yes mama please!"
"Why don't you ask daddy what he thinks," Andy looked over to Sam who was playing with Noah in the other room.
Emma jumped off her stool and ran over to Sam.
"Daddy daddy! Can I have a baby sister?" Emma asked excitedly.
Sam almost choked on the water he was drinking.
"Uh Em, that's really not up to me," Sam chuckled.
"Well mama said I had to come ask you," Emma said as she looked back over to her mother.
Sam gave Andy an amused look and then looked back to his daughter.
"Well Em, I don't think there's going to be a baby sister under the tree this year but maybe just maybe there will be one by next Christmas."
Emma smiled at her father and then returned to the kitchen.
Sam and Andy gave each other knowing looks; little did Emma know that Sam and Andy had only just decided to try for another baby.
Thanks for reading :D