Kylie & Jack 1: Humble Beginnings

83. Christmas is Merrier with You

Wednesday 25th Dec 2019

Mike & Lizzie, 26 Jacaranda Crescent, 5:10 AM

Lizzie barged into her father's bedroom large as life singing "IT'S CHRISTMAS! IT'S CHRISTMAS!" at the top of her lungs, carrying a large wrapped present in her arms. Mike rolled over in bed, groaning and opened a bleary eye to check the alarm clock.

"Jesus kid ..." he groaned and rubbing his face. Lizzie jumped onto the bed, cackling and rattling the present in Mike's face.

"Open it, Dad! Open it, open it!" she cried enthusiastically. While she bounced on the bed, Mike was reminded vividly of six–year–old Kylie doing the same thing once. Lizzie had dark brown hair, similar to her mother's, but otherwise she was a carbon copy of auntie Kylie.

Sitting up in bed and still groaning away the sleep, Mike tried to convince Lizzie to let them have breakfast first before opening any more presents. In all honesty, he had hoped that because Lizzie didn't go to bed until eleven last night, trying to spy Santa Claus and his kangaroos crossing in front of the moon, that she would let him sleep in at least until six.

They would be having lunch at Kylie and Jack's today, just another reason why Mike hoped his early bird of a daughter would sleep in. He didn't want to be up at sparrow fart on the slowest, drowsiest day of the year.

Mike had to admit that he hadn't given a moment's thought to Karen this year and was glad that Lizzie had not suffered too badly by her. Also, she had adjusted so well to the move, new house and school and having so much family around.

So, Mike gave in to Lizzie, opening the present that had a large sticker plastered all over it, with "TO MY DAD THE BESTEST EVER I LOVE YOU FROM LIZZIE XXXXXXXX" written on it in green highlighter.

"Merry Christmas, Daddy!" Lizzie cried, grinning broadly and bouncing up to his lap and hugging him around the neck. Mike hugged his daughter back and began to unwrap his present, just as his phone began to sing with alerts.

Naylor household, 2 Waratah Place, 5:49 AM

Shaz lay in bed, playing Candy Crush on her phone and messaging her sister in the next room. They were betting on what time Lachy would wake up the house. Shaz was saying six o'clock and if she was right, Alicia had to surrender her favourite nail polish. Alicia was betting that their mother would have to wake him up and if she was right, Shaz had to hand over any and all chocolates she would get today. It was going to be a bloodbath, for sure.

Lachy was nowhere near waking, his snores were just as loud as his father's. Caught between the faint giggles of her teenage daughters, her rattling son and husband, Amy huffed, throwing back the doona and got up.

Not far behind Amy, was Alicia looking like Cousin It, her long curly brown hair everywhere. She wasn't very impressed with her wake up – the cat deciding to settle like a boulder in the small of her back, leaving Alicia lying uncomfortably on her side on the very edge of the mattress. When she got up, the cat shot her a dirty look and slunk off the bed to go and invade another bed.

When Shaz decided to get up as well, she met Alicia in the hallway and the two sisters decided to try and wake Lachy up ... Amy heard the impending eruption, as Lachy was utterly foul tempered first thing in the morning and marched towards his bedroom, angrily hissing at the girls to let him sleep.

So, the Naylor's started Christmas with Shaun and Lachy competing for the loudest snores while Amy slowly started to cook bacon and eggs for breakfast – a Foley tradition.