Baxter even more. “But Arya’s just a baby.”
“Santa left you presents when you were a baby,” I reason.
Baxter’s brows draw together. “I don’t remember that.”
“That’s because you were a baby,” Brendan tells him. “Babies don’t remember things.”
“Why don’t you open your presents, bud,” I prompt. “And then you can help Arya open hers.”
With a kind of feverish delight, Baxter rips in to present after present, becoming more and more excited as each new gift reveals itself: a slime-making kit, Avengers Legos, a balance board, several new books. There are also some more boring items, like some new winter clothes and some things he’ll be needing for school next year.
“Can I help Arya open her presents now?” Baxter asks eagerly, once he’s carefully examined every item in his haul.
I smile affectionately. “Sure, bud.”
Of course, Baxter’s ‘help’ basically consists of grabbing the closest pink-wrapped box and tearing the paper off with the same zeal he had for his own presents.
Once the paper is off, Baxter stares at the box with clear disappointment. “What is this?”
“It’s a baby bath. I guess Santa knows Arya will be taking proper baths soon.”
Baxter’s face lights up. ‘And I get to be the assistant!”
I chuckle, reaching down to ruffle his blond curls. ‘That’s right, buddy.” Bax was weirdly disappointed when we brought Arya home and he found out she could only have “boring” sponge baths until her cord comes off. I guess for a kid who loves nothing more than playing in the bath he was disappointed not to be able to share that with his new sister.
“Let’s see what else Santa left for Arya,” Brendan says to Baxter, handing him another package. “Can you help her open this one?”
“I’m not really helping her,” Bax clarifies with an air of superiority. “I’m doing it for her because she’s too little.”
“You’re helping her by doing it for her,” I say.
The rest of Arya’s presents follow a similar pattern; that is items we bought in the lead up to her birth but haven’t had a chance to use yet because she’s only a week old. Baxter displays varying amounts of enthusiasm as he unwraps each package: a baby gym, a pack ’n’ play, some more baby clothes, a rabbit lovey.
“Is that all?” Baxter demands once he’s opened all of Arya’s gifts.
“What do you mean ‘is that all’?” I say sternly. “Santa’s been very generous this year. You’re both very lucky.”
Baxter looks down, chastened. “But I like opening presents.”
I let out a breath of laughter, shaking my head affectionately. “Well if that’s all it is, maybe BeeBee will let you help him open his present from me?”
Baxter’s eyes light up. “Can I?”
Brendan grins. “Sure!” Then to me, he mutters under his breath, “But we might not want to do it the other way around. Not unless you want him finding out what a dildo actually is.”
9
Josh
* * *
“Mmm…what are you doing? What’s going on?” I ask sleepily as I stare bleary-eyed at Connor, who’s out of bed and already tugging on a sweatshirt. “Why are you up? Today’s a holiday.”
He rubs his hands together, a beaming smile spreading across his bearded face. “Yup. It’s Christmas! I’m going to get Chase up so he can see what Santa left him.”
My eyes snap wide open at that. “Connor, are you insane? It’s not even light out yet!”
“It’s six am,” he says brightly. “Plenty late enough.”
I sigh. “Babe, just…come here.” I pat the space next to me on the bed. “Please?”
Reluctantly, he joins me on the bed, although he’s still kneeling, as though he’s poised to get up at any second.
I sit up and wrap my hands around his face, looking deep into his beautiful eyes. “Con, I know this is your first Christmas with Chase and you should be excited. It’s great that you are. But I need you to think ahead for a minute. We’ve got a big day with Laura’s family and then Cait’s place for dinner tonight. Do you really want to start the day by waking Chase before he’s ready? And besides, Laura didn’t get in until after midnight last night—we should let her sleep some more.”
With a defeated sigh, he slumps on the bed next to me. “I guess you’re right.”
“I know I am.” I offer a soft smile, lifting my hand to run through his golden hair. It’s grown out a lot over the past year, and is worn up in a bun most days; but I love when it’s down like this and I can