Requested by: JustAFangirl3000 Thank you for the request!! I added a surprise ending so I hope you like it!
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I walked into the kitchen to the sound of the oven timer beeping, signaling that my last batch of Christmas cookies had finished baking.
My 3 year old daughter Ivy Jane sat at the dining room table helping her dad, Jughead, put together a gingerbread house.
"Honestly, I don't know why you bother putting one of those together every year...you don't even eat gingerbread." I said laughing lightly as Ivy ate bits and pieces of the candy scattered around the half put together house.
"It isn't about eating it, it's about tradition and the excitement of building it." He said turning to face my direction.
I smirked at him as I slid oven mitts on my hands to grab the pan of cookies out of the oven. I placed them on top of the stove and transferred the cookies to a cooling rack.
"Who wants hot chocolate?" I asked as the kettle on the stove began squealing, I turned to grab 3 mugs out of the cupboard.
"Me!" Ivy said laughing as she jumped down out of her chair to run into the kitchen. Since it's Christmas Eve, she's decked out in her favorite holiday pajamas and socks, a pink, light-up Santa hat covered her raven hair, and the remnants of sugar candy smeared on her cheeks.
"Okay, but only a little you don't want to be up late or Santa won't be able to come." I told her with a grin as I kneeled to wipe her face with a damp cloth.
She let out an excited squeal, "SANTAS COMING!" She did a little twirl before Jughead, who had now joined us in the kitchen, lifted her up into the air with a spin, her excitement rising.
"Ives...why don't you go look out the window....I believe I saw some snowflakes falling," he said placing her feet back on the ground. Her eyes lit up and she ran out of the kitchen and into the living room to look out the window.
"Mommy! Come look!" She called from the other room.
"I'll be right there, sweetie!" I replied, as I finished stirring the last of the hot chocolates I was preparing.
Jughead wrapped his arms around me from behind, "so what do you say we put Ivy to bed, cuddle up in front of the fire, and watch our favorite Christmas movies?" He asked smirking at me as I turned in his arms to face him.
"I like the sound of that," I said smirking back at him "but we did promise Ivy she could watch Rudolph until time for bed so after that...Im all yours." I teased with a wink, and leaned in to kiss him gently on the lips.
I handed him his mug of hot chocolate, and we walked into the living room where Ivy sat in the window seat watching the snowfall. She looked at us as we entered and came to greet us. I handed her her hot chocolate, and we moved to sit down on the couch. Jughead on one side, me on the other, and Ivy in the middle. Our matching family pjs were now lined up side by side.
"You ready for Rudolph?" I asked her and she nodded her head excitedly. I could tell she was already getting tired by the way she rubbed her eyes and snuggled in close to her daddy's side.
I pressed play on the remote and draped a blanket across our laps. I sat back and sipped on my drink as the movie began to play on screen. The Christmas tree was lit up across the room with only a handful of presents underneath, decorations hung from nearly every inch of the house, stockings on the fireplace mantle, Christmas lights lit up around them; the snow could be seen falling from the sky through the window next to where we sat, and the moon shined brightly in the dark, night sky.
I looked over at Jughead and Ivy, who was now sleeping soundly, and smiled. I had a big surprise in store I had yet to share with anyone.
"Why don't I carry her to bed, and then we can proceed with the rest of tonight's festivities," he said carefully getting up off the couch and swooping Ivy up into his arms.
I watched as he disappeared down the hall to her room, and then I repositioned myself on the couch so my back was against the armrest.
"Okay so..." Jughead said coming back into the room and rubbing his hands together, "which movie should we start with? Home Alone? Elf? Christmas Vacation? The Santa Clause?" He asked grabbing the dvds off the coffee table and holding them up one at a time.
"I've got a better idea..." I said getting up off the couch and moving to sift through the few presents under the tree. "I was going to wait until tomorrow, but I've grown anxious waiting for you to open this." I said grabbing a small rectangular box from the bottom of the pile.
He looked at me quizzically as we rarely ever give each other presents before Christmas morning.
"I know we like to save everything for Christmas Day, but just this once...open it." I said handing it to him as I walked back over to the couch and sat down beside him.
He carefully took the ribbon off and unwrapped the box.
His eyes went wide, and a smile spread across his face as realization of the contents of the box set in.
Inside the box was a positive pregnancy test, an ultrasound photo, and a tiny onesie that had the serpents logo and said "Newest Member... Coming Soon".
"You're pregnant?!?!" He asked excitedly.
I nodded, smiling back with just as much excitement "yes...10 weeks."
"I can't believe this! We're gonna have another baby!" He placed the box on the table in front of him, wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug, and planted a soft kiss on my head before eventually planting a passionate one on my lips. "This is the best Christmas ever!!"
I laughed lightly at his excitement. I had to agree with him though...this, so far, had been the best Christmas ever and it hadn't even started yet.
