“Holy hell. What time did you wake up? Why didn’t you wake me up to help?” I asked. I finally noticed Brad wearing a Christmas apron.
“I got up at five and then Brad came down and ran an errand and came back and helped. ”
I peeked over at my husband, who was mixing something in a bowl. He winked at me and smiled.
“The flowers?” I asked.
“Did you like them?” he asked, with that smile that melts my heart.
I walked over and gave him a kiss and whispered against his lips, “Yes. I loved them. Thank you. ”
“Merry Christmas, pumpkin,” he said with a wink.
“Merry Christmas, Brad. ”
I turned to Alex and Maegan and clapped my hands and smiled. “Merry Christmas to two of the most beautiful girls in the whole world!”
They both laughed and Maegan smeared more oatmeal in her hair as Alex shoveled in her oatmeal. I couldn’t help but laugh.
Before I knew it, the house was filled. The guys all had the kids while the girls all got breakfast ready. I’d never laughed so hard in my life. Every now and then I would peek out and check on the guys. Brad looked like he was walking on cloud nine. If I didn’t know any better, I would think he had the same pregnancy glow I did.
“So? How was last night?” Heather asked, while Ari wiggled her eyebrows up and down.
I leaned against the counter and fanned myself as they all started laughing. “I’m telling you, pregnancy sex is the best kind of sex. They need to bottle that shit up and sell it,” Ari said as she pulled more biscuits out of the oven.
Emma, Sharon, and Grace were setting the table in the formal dinning room and the breakfast area. Emma was walking through the kitchen as she said, “It sure is the best kind of sex. ”
We all stopped talking and just looked at her. When she rounded the corner, we all snapped our heads over to look at Ellie. She smiled and held up her hands and laughed. “Hey…don’t look at me. ”
Ari busted out laughing and then whispered, “I’m telling y’all…I totally think Emma and Garrett still sneak off and get them some in the barn. ”
“Oh God! Please, Ari, don’t even go there,” Ellie said as she attempted to clear the image from her head.
We all sat down and started breakfast. There was so many conversations going on I couldn’t help but sit back and just enjoy it all. I looked around at everyone, eating, laughing, telling jokes and reminiscing on Christmases past.
Gunner stood up and got everyone’s attention, “Okay, first, thank you to my beautiful bride and all the ladies who whipped up this amazing breakfast. I’ve never seen so much food in my life. ” Everyone agreed and Ellie thanked everyone for pitching in and helping.
“Now, let’s all head into the family room and do what we’ve all been waiting for…open Christmas presents for the kids!”
Everyone laughed and started to stand up.
“Clean-up duty is on the guys, and I vote for taking care of it after a bit of fun,” Gunner called out.
Jeff, Josh and Brad all agreed as we made our way into the family room.
I sat down on the floor over by the fireplace and Brad sat down next to me and put Maegan in his lap. The Christmas music in the background added just the perfect touch to the whole scene.
Gunner and Ellie had a huge seven-and-a-half foot live Christmas tree that was decorated in all silver, white and red ornaments with white lights. It was breathtaking. There was a smaller tree in the formal living room that had all their “fun” ornaments on it. Ellie smiled when she said that would be the tree the kids would decorate, but the main tree would always be her tree. Gunner rolled his eyes and brought her in for a kiss.
I laughed because Brad and I had a hodge-podge of a tree. It was covered in ornaments from both our childhoods and ornaments from trips we had taken. Everywhere we went, we tried to find an ornament for our collection.
“Ellie would pass out if she saw our tree!” Brad whispered.
I giggled and said, “And just think if she knew we had multicolored lights on it. ”
Brad tossed his head back and laughed.
I wasn’t sure how we kept order with all the presents being passed around. Luke was probably having the most fun with ripping open his and Grace’s gifts. Gunner was walking around with a large trash bag collecting all the wrapping paper, while Alex attempted to help him.