Happy Christmas/Merry Birthday III
Content: 2.3k words. A second sequel (part I, part II) of dad Levi's birthday and Christmas in one.
A/n: Why do I rush each of these out?! I hope you love it and the idea for Levi's present!
It's warm and cozy in the house. Outside there are piles of newly fallen snow overnight.
You yawn as you wake up and stretch, opening your eyes with a smile. It's the best sleep you've gotten in nights.
"Morning." You hear the mumble of your husband who has been awake waiting for you. He reaches over to hold you in his arm.
"Morning Levi. Merry Birthday." You snuggle into his chest for a few minutes.
In your mind you know you should be up and out of bed already. It's daylight and your little ones must be ready for you.
"Eveything is fine." Levi tells you, knowing your thoughts.
Your ten year old daughter is up, it is Christmas morning after all. She's watching her six month old baby brother in his swingset while having some oatmeal, after helping her father feed the baby.
"Did you sleep okay?" You ask, kissing Levi's cheek and stroking his arm, taking his word for it that all is well.
"I did, love." He leans in to kiss your forehead. He came back to bed just a few minutes before.
Yesterday, an old injury of Levi's acted up quite a bit. He limped around some before you got him into a warm bath.
He felt bad about not being able to help around the house much, and on Christmas eve, but you told him not to worry. He always takes good care of you and your children, you are happy to be there when he needs you.
Plus your daughter is a big help. She adores her baby brother as much as you do and would do anything to assist, especially when she knows her father isn't feeling well.
It put a big smile on her face earlier in the day when she saw he was feeling better today.
"Come on, let's go see our babies." You finally say after a bit of cuddling time.
You and Levi get up and put on our robes and go out to the living room.
Your daughter who just finished her oatmeal comes over to hug you. "Happy Christmas mama."
"Happy Christmas my sweet girl." You kiss her head and hug her.
"Merry birthday daddy." She goes over to hug Levi again and they sit on the couch together as you go see your bright eyed baby boy.
"Hello my little prince!" You light up at seeing him and he makes happy babbling noises at you.
Picking him up you join your family on the couch.
You bounce the baby on your knee while your daughter plays peek-a-boo with him. Levi smiles at the sight and reaches out to stroke your hair.
"I'm so happy you're feeling better." You tell him.
"Thanks to you I am. Thank you." He gives you an adoring look reserved just for you.
You've gotten used to what to do to help him through when his leg pains start in again. Of course you all wish it wouldn't happen, but it's more bearable for him with you there.
After some sweet silent looks pass between you, you turn to your daughter.
"Sorry I'm a bit late today. What do you want to do this morning?"
"Uncle Jean and Connie are coming over to take me sledding later! Can we bake some cookies for them?" She asks, looking between you and Levi.
"Well of course! Come on!" You grin and stand up with the baby.
Levi pulls his swing into the kitchen, a safe distance from any appliances, and you put him back in so you can keep an eye on him while you bake.
Last night the boys called to see if it would be okay to come over. A few hours in the early afternoon wouldn't interrupt family time, and they themselves are considered your extended family.
You'd already started exchanging a few presents Christmas eve, and would finish the rest in the evening, while also dedicating some of the day to Levi for his birthday.
You put on your "world's best cook" apron you unwrapped last night while Levi puts on a chefs hat, both presents from your daughter. She giggles and claps at seeing you wear the things.
"Daddy, it's your birthday, what type of cookies should we make?" She asks him, pulling out pans and spatulas.
"Hmm, those almond cookies we made recently were pretty good." He knows everyone likes those.
"Yes! And we have all the ingredients." You smile and together begin baking.
Soon you're all humming along to holiday music on the radio and laughing. Somehow the baby sleeps through most of it, once in a while giggling along with you.
With everyone helping you're able to make a second type of cookie, and you insist on an apple pie recipe that you found in an old magazine you got at a thrift store.
You see Levi's eyes light up. Apples are his favorite fruit.
"It is your birthday after all." You give him a kiss as you pass by to get more ingredients.
Levi stands back a moment, taking in the scene of his wife and little girl dancing around the kitchen, with his sleeping baby boy being rocked by the swing set in the corner. Somehow he's still the luckiest man alive.
"Daddy! We need another bowl!" Your daughter calls to him, snapping him back with a blind.
"Yes my little reindeer, coming right up." He is glad the pains of yesterday are gone and he is able to participate in the fun.
Just as the new cookies are coming out of the oven there's a knock on the door.
"Yay!" Your daughter tears off the oven mitts and heads to the door.
"Ouch!" Levi grabs a hot apple cookie for himself before anyone else can get to it, burning his fingers slightly, tossing it back and fourth from hand to hand.
"See who it is first!" You yell out to your daughter. "Levi!" You turn to him next, getting a plate for him.
"Sorry. Thanks." He says a little sheepishly.
Your baby boy is up now making a fuss from the commotion.
Levi washes his hands and picks him up while you finish laying out the goodies on the counter, smirking at your husband as he uses his free hand to pop the apple cookie into his mouth.
You go into the living room to find three new faces.
Jean and Connie are laying out presents they brought for everyone as Sasha is hugging your daughter.
"You've grown!" She says to her.
The trio then turn to greet you.
"Hey all." You smile at them, thanking them for the gifts, and let them know before they head out there's cookies in the kitchen.
"Awesome!" Connie cheers and goes over to greet Levi and the baby before going to get some goods.
Jean does the same, but Sasha comes over to tickle the baby a little bit, making him giggle. She has been a great babysitter since your daughter was little.
"Go get some before those bums eat them all" Levi tells her, knowing she really wants some sweets.
She doesn't need to be asked twice and now you're all back in the kitchen eating cookies.
"These are delicious!"
"Thanks for sharing!"
The younger trio may cause a ruckus at times, but really are a big help when you need a bit.
"Come on princess, ready to go sledding?" Jean asks your daughter who lights up.
"Go on, we'll put your brother to bed first then be out." Levi tells her, and she and the guys head out.
"Can I help?" Sasha asks you. She has lots of little siblings and will babysit for you again soon.
"Sure." You thank her and head up to put your little boy down for a nap. Making sure he's comfy you take the baby monitor and go out into the front yard.
You find the instant camera that you got for Christmas last year and take photos of all the fun.
There's sledding and snowman building and a small snowball fight leaving everyone laughing.
"Thanks for coming over guys. What else do you have planned?" You ask as you head back inside after a while.
"We have a few other places to go. But of course we had to stop here!" Sasha says happily.
Before they go everyone asks to see the baby again and you wake him from his nap. He's slept enough that he's not too fussy and is content being passed around for a few minutes.
You open up the gifts from them, both your children getting more spoiled, and a couple things included for you and Levi.
"Here, for you." You give each of them a little something too, and a couple cookies for the road.
You say your goodbyes soon after and are back down to just the members of the household and make something for lunch and put on a movie while eating. You let Levi pick.
"How about we watch a home movie?" He suggests, and you and your daughter think that's a very good idea.
You spend the rest of the afternoon cuddled on the couch, watching scenes of your and Levi's wedding, some of your daughters birthdays, and a trip to a national park.
In between you put your son back down for another quick nap to stay on schedule and finish the rest of the gift giving before dinner.
"Oh! The slippers I wanted!" You laugh at the furry cushioned slippers in bright yellow.
"It was the only color in your size." Levi says, kissing your cheek.
"I love them." You hug him as your daughter opens up a new puzzle.
A few more rounds reveal books for everyone and some homemade accessories your daughter made at school.
One last present has Levi's name on it.
"For your birthday." As is custom, he gets the last gift of the night.
"I don't know what else I could need or that you could give me." He says, taking the thin box.
You turn to him and your daughter sits at his feet.
"It couldn't possibly be…" He trails off, and you laugh and shake your head.
"No, no more upcoming children. That was last years present." Not to say there wouldn't be another one in the future.
Levi unwraps it and looks at it a moment.
"It's not quite as personal as a few others, but it's… well, I hope you like it." You look at your daughter who is grinning. She knows her daddy will love it.
"It's a… comic book." He realizes this but can't seem to grasp it.
The hero, is him. Somehow you have put an animated Levi on the cover of a comic book.
He flips through the pages, that have him having his own superhero identity, fighting crime, saving the day, and coming home to his family. You. You're all in this book. Even your son. Every detail down to Levi's missing fingers from his accident years earlier.
"It's our way of saying, you're our hero. Everyday, sweetheart." You say, brushing his hair back as he quietly flips through it all.
"You're a superhero dad!" You daughter says, laying her head on his knee.
"I'm… I'm your…" He's speechless. It almost would seem like a silly gift, that you would give a teenage boy, not a husband and father of two with an injury that acts up sometimes.
"Thank you." He says quietly, sounding a little emotional.
Levi loves it. He loves that you're all in it. That he can save the day, come to the rescue, and live out his days with his family.
"The suit's a little corny." He jokes, making you and your daughter laugh and hug him.
He puts the book down and hugs you back.
"I'll, I'll need an updated one in a few years." He tells you, voice a little shaky. One for when the kids are a little older.
This is how you really view him. Even though you tell him, for some reason, this finally makes it sink in. He's your hero.
You settle back in and look over the book together. It warms all your hearts. Especially the parts that you're all together.
You don't realize the time until you hear your son babbling on the baby monitor.
You put all the gifts aside and stand up. Hugging Levi you kiss his cheek. "Merry birthday, my love." You head up to get your son.
Your daughter leans on her fathers arm as they walk into the kitchen.
"You really like it, daddy?" She asks him.
"I do. I really do." He kisses her head.
"Daddy, I was thinking. I know right now isn't a good time, cause a baby is a lot of work…" She trails off with her thought.
"They are. What are you thinking of?" Levi asks her.
"Next year, maybe if we both ask, mama will let us have a dog." She looks up at him.
He chuckles and looks down at her.
Yes, babies are a lot of work, so now isn't the right time. His daughter is a smart one. She also has very good ideas.
"That could be something I could get behind." They share a knowing smile, just as you come into the kitchen.
"Ready to eat, my loves?" You ask with your son on your hip, feeling like maybe you missed something, but adoring the moments Levi gets to share with your daughter.
"Yes, let's eat!" They both exclaim, helping around the kitchen.
The plan for next year is put out of their minds. There is a lot of time for that. Tonight, you are all a happy family, another successful Christmas day and birthday. With many more to come.
