Crazy In Love (Anthony Rizzo)

Very Merry Christmas

Anthony

After flying into Miami we drive a little ways back to my hometown of Parkland, Florida. It was a smallish town, just one middle school and one high school that I attended before being drafted by the Red Sox. The community was big but it was just one so everyone knew everyone, we were all pretty close. We all valued family above everything and never let that change no matter where we ended up. I'm just happy to be back where it all started, and to tell my family in person that were expecting a little baby that I'm going to love until it hurts me.

We arrive at my childhood home early this Friday morning. Christmas was in two days and I had my own place to stay in but I wanted to see my parents and they wanted to see Melissa and Mallory. So we leave our belongings in the car and walk into the house.

"Mom! Dad! We're here" I yell out into the house. It was pretty empty since my brother and I moved out but they kept it up well.

"I'm the kitchen" my mom yells and I laugh. Of course she's there.

I take my crew and find her in the kitchen.

"Where's dad" I wonder.

"He's out finishing up some Christmas shopping" she explains and I nod. "How have you been sweetie" she asks Melissa.

"I've been good. We're really excited to be here for Christmas" Melissa explains.

"And Disney world" Mallory cheers from her arms.

"Yes, and Disney World" I assure her.

"Well we're happy you guys wanted to come spend the holidays with us. It means a lot" my mom smiles.

"We're happy to be here" Melissa says.

I show them around the house and we wait for my dad to get home. Eventually he returns with extra food and presents and we help him unload so everything gets where it's supposed to be. Finally I get everyone together to share the exciting news. We haven't gone public with the news that she's pregnant, for she was only a few months along, but her family knew and my family was about to too. And the drunk guys at the tailgate, but that's besides the point.

"So why are you being so jumpy" my dad finally asks and I laugh.

"Because I have some really exciting news to tell you and holding it in has made me jumpy" I explain.

"Oh, well what is it" he wonders.

"I want you to open a early Christmas present and you can find out for yourself" I say handing a little bag to my parents.

They look at me questionably at first but eventually open up the bag. They look in there and pull out a little piece of paper that Mallory drew on for them. On the bottom melissa wrote "the rest of this present will be here in 7 months" along with a drawing of me and Mallory and a pregnant Melissa on there with what Mallory says is the Chicago skyline.

"Anthony" my mom whispers.

"Yeah" I smile.

"Are you guys pregnant" she questions in a hushed tone.

"Well Melisa is pregnant. My job here is done" I joke and she smiles big.

"Oh my god... I can't believe you guys are having a kid" my dad smirks. I know he's wanted a grandkid for a while, and he loved Mallory like his own. But this time he can be around since the beginning and help change diapers and feed the baby which I appreciate.

"If you had the morning sickness I had you would believe it" Melissa jokes.

"How are you and the baby doing" my mom asks her as she rubs her back.

"We're good. It helps that I already have an amazing daughter who takes good care of me" she says as she runs her fingers through Mallory's hair. Her daughter smiles up at her as she places her hand on her moms stomach. There isn't much of anything there yet but I swear I'm starting to see a little belly.

"I think I found my new favorite moment in my life" my mom claims.

"I'll try not to take offense to that" I tease.

"You and your brother are my pride and joy. And to see that you're doing good, happily married with a beautiful little girl and a baby on the way, that's all a mother wants to hear" she claims and I smile.

"You did pretty good with me" I tease and she laughs.

"I have to agree with you on that" she nods.

After we all calm down my mom steals Mallory away to make some Christmas cookies to leave out for Christmas and Melissa joins them. My dad and I chill out in the living room and watch a hockey game, whichever one that was on whether it be the Panthers or the Lightning, and crack open a beer. For the first time in a long time I knew that I could not be happier in my life than I was right now.

"So you've just been dad training this whole time" he asks and I laugh.

"Being Mallory's dad is easy, she already knew so much and she had Tim her whole life by her side helping her through things. I'm more of a best friend than a father to her. Plus I never had to change her diaper or teach her how to walk or bottle feed her. She was already this amazing little human when I met her. So I didn't have to do much. Now I gotta do the hard parts and luckily for me Melissa has been through this before in a much worse situation so I know she's going to be saving my ass on a daily basis" I admit.

"Trust me, it's not as bad as you want to think it is. Sometimes you won't know why the kids crying but it won't matter because you're it's father and at the end of the day not matter how much you mess up it will always love you. It's not easy to be a dad but it's so worth it, to see that little baby smile when it hears your voice or to see it reach for you when it's in someone else's arms, it's the greatest feeling in the world" he claims and I smile.

"You ready to be a grandpa... again" I ask and he laughs.

"I cannot wait for the day when you drop the baby and Mallory off so you and Melissa can get away for a little" he admits.

"Good... because I'm sure within the first week I'm going to begging you to come to Chicago to help us" I admit.

"When is she due" he wonders.

"June, so in the middle of baseball season which sucks. But we're going to make it work, I know we will" I insist.

"I don't doubt it. You guys got a real good thing going on" he insists.

"Feels good" I admit.