14 months. 10 months. 9 months. 13 months. Kensi Blye had heard it ALL. She didn't even know what she believed anymore.
Little Max's 9th month passed and he hadn't taken a step yet. Month 10 cruised by. She knew she shouldn't be concerned, but of course, she was.
On Christmas morning she awoke to the familiar and warm scent of her husband. She ran her hands up his bare chest. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes, pressing a long kiss into her hairline, and trailed his kisses down to her lips.
"Merry Christmas," he whispered.
"Merry Christmas to you," she replied.
"Max's first Christmas," he said, grinning.
"I cannot wait to see him try to figure out wrapping paper," she smiled.
He pulled himself up. "Come on, baby girl. Let's do this."
After a diaper change and quick little snack, Max was wide awake and ready to play. The tree was decorated, and all the ornaments adorned their tree in one little clump, as Max had gotten to help, and the ones that didn't go straight to his mouth went to that little spot.
Kensi pulled a package toward him. They sat on the floor and watched as he stared at the box, confused.
Kensi tried tearing the corner, but he continued to stare at it. He tried to pick it up by the torn flap, and when it ripped, it suprised him. He finally began to rip the paper off. Kensi leaned back into her husband's chest to watch. He rested his chin on her head.
Once the wrapping paper was gone, Max held the box back out to Kensi. She laughed at his discard for it. He reached under the tree for another, but couldn't quite reach it, and so Deeks assisted. Max got into the swing of things, and paper began to fly much quicker.
That's when Monty came into play.
He grabbed a big paper wad in his mouth and began to tear it to shreds. Deeks rolled over and tackled the pup, gathering the paper and trying to take it out of his mouth. Kensi was laughing so hard at the sight of her husband wrestling the dog.
Meanwhile, Max had gotten impatient waiting in the next box with paper to tear through. Using the tree, he pulled himself up, grabbed a box, and began to tear it all apart.
By the time Kensi turned back to Max, he was taking two careful steps forward to hand her the unwrapped box.
"Marty!" she squealed. She put her hands out and Max came to her. Deeks looked up from atop the dog just in time to see it.
"Did he just?" Deeks asked.
"Oh my gosh, yes he did!"
Max didn't understand the cheering all around him, but it sure didn't stop him from attempting to take those steps back to get another box…
Deeks arms went up to catch him from the inevitable fall, and of course he did. Max didn't seem phased. He reached in for another box.
"Hey! That one's your Mommy's!"
To that, Maxwell just turned around and flashed them a big, toothy grin.