Wherever you find love, it feels like Christmas - A Peralta-Santiago Christmas

 

 It was early evening on Christmas Eve and Amy had just finished feeding Mac for what felt like the hundredth time that day, and he seemed to be drifting off to sleep in his new Christmas baby blanket, as he was making the most adorable snuffle sounds and little snores that Amy had ever heard. Sleep wasn’t something that Amy or Jake had had much of lately, but neither of them minded that much and wouldn’t have it any other way, as any time they got to spend with their baby was more than fine with them. They used to think it was a bit cliched to say that babies grow up so fast and change all the time, but now that they had their adorable little Mac, they knew they were completely, totally in love with him and felt like they’d loved him their whole lives because they’d wished so hard for him. In fact, no matter how tired they were, they loved waking up each day, knowing that they had him and that he was somehow more perfect than ever and had already grown and changed since the previous night. This was especially true now it was the holiday season, as they’d loved every Christmas they’d spent together and were so excited for their first Christmas as a three. They were probably even more in love with each other as well since becoming parents, which they didn’t think was possible. Jake had always been so proud of Amy and blown away by her, but ever since she’d given birth in the precinct with no pain relief three months ago, he knew there was nothing she couldn’t do. This Christmas Eve, he marvelled at what a wonderful mama she was, as he saw how much mutual love there was between Amy and their sweet baby as she held him and played with his cute little feet, because she seemed to know just how to soothe their little one. Jake gave them the biggest heart eyes when he noticed Amy giving Mac a tired but adoring smile that was so full of pure love. Amy’s own heart had actually melted earlier that day, while watching Jake holding their adorable baby and sitting by the Christmas tree, gazing at the ‘baby’s first Christmas’ tree ornaments from the 99 squad. She found it especially sweet when she saw that her favourite boys were looking at each other while Jake was talking to Mac, who appeared to be listening. Jake was such a natural with their baby and was SUCH a kind, loving, brilliant Dad. Not that Amy had ever doubted him or anything as even if she hadn't always said it out loud, she knew how great he’d be even when he’d doubted himself, but actually seeing him with their ‘liquid fire’ son was so much better than anything she could have imagined. During her pregnancy, as well, he’d been the best and most caring and loving husband ever and a super thoughtful, attentive and affectionate future father, as he always gave her sweet, gentle kisses and told her how beautiful she was, even when she didn’t feel it and he’d loved cuddling her bump on the sofa every evening and putting his hand on her stomach so he could feel each kick. He’d also read the pregnancy books so often that he’d memorised what was on each page and Amy had never met anyone who would do so much to show how much they loved their family and unborn baby. Now that they had their baby, Jake almost always put a blanket on Amy to keep her warm if she fell asleep on the sofa after work while he put Mac to bed. Therefore, it was no surprise that practically everyone who knew him (including Amy and Mac) thought he was the best world’s best Dad. Jake also regularly dressed baby Mac in ‘I love my mommy so much’ onesies, which made Amy feel like the luckiest woman alive and almost made her emotional as she loved being called a mommy and the fact that she got to be a mommy to their tiny, perfect human with Jake as the Dad made her happier than even articulate Amy could express. Jake was so great with kids in general too, as he’d spent yesterday baking Christmas cookies for their family and some extra cookies to give to their nieces and nephews on Amy’s side. He also always volunteered to go to Mac when he cried in the night and ensured that Amy got to catch up on her sleep and Mac always gave his ‘dada’ the biggest, sweetest smiles. Even though the baby binder might have prepared them for this, it hadn’t prepared them for how much they’d adore his smiles or how they’d completely melt whenever they looked at their sweet, happy, smiley baby. That evening, as they chilled in matching Christmas pyjamas (well, a onesie for the little one) and looked at their beautiful baby and each other with the biggest heart eyes, they didn’t think there was anything else they needed or wanted for Christmas (well, maybe some more sleep.) Although, being the caring person that he was, Jake had got thoughtful, lovely gifts for his dream girl, Amy, and for their perfect little boy. 

    They’d taken so many photos of Mac this festive season (and for the first few months of his life, not to mention all the pregnancy pics.) In fact, their desks at work were now covered in photos of Mac, as were their phone camera rolls, as almost every message they sent included a photo of their precious baby, as they knew there was no one cuter than him. They thought about how during last year’s holiday season they felt extremely lucky to have each other, because they were so in love and meant so much to each other but couldn’t shake how sad they were that they weren’t expecting a mini Santiago-Peralta. As they thought back to last Christmas and looked at the sweet, perfect mini Santiago-Peralta they now had, they both thought about how much the thought of having a second baby excited them. It didn’t have to be right away, as life with one baby was full on enough and they knew they’d be content whether or not their family got bigger, especially after all they’d been through to have one baby, but they knew they both definitely wanted another baby, someday.

 Little did they know that the next Christmas Eve, as one year old Mac adorably tried to help bake the Christmas cookies, before returning to his toys, another baby was very much on the horizon for them, which a heavily pregnant Amy was very aware of. That particular Christmas Eve, Jake was playing with Mac, to give Amy a well-deserved break, as she was finding this stage in the second trimester of her pregnancy quite tiring. There was so much they were excited about, though, as they couldn’t wait to give Mac his presents. Their gorgeous boy was becoming more like his ‘Dada’ every day right down to his adorable curls, but he had Amy’s eyes and her interest in books as he loved being read to. Amy looked at their pretty Christmas tree, she knew they already couldn’t wait for next Christmas, as they expected that there’d be lots of ‘Baby’s first Christmas’ decorations from the 99 family again, which meant so much to them after the difficult road they’d had to parenthood. Jake and Amy also thought it was adorable that Mac had wanted to help decorate the tree, as he absolutely loved the Christmas card picture of all three of them and the new Christmas ornaments with pictures of the whole family, who were hopefully about to become a family of four. The sight of the framed ultrasounds around the house made their hearts sing too, and this Christmas, Amy’s heart felt very full when she looked at them, especially when she saw Jake and Mac adorably playing together. She was also reminded just then of their latest sonogram a few weeks ago, as she knew the memory of listening to their unborn baby’s heartbeat would live forever in her heart, as it made them even more excited to welcome their new baby next year and made them totally convinced that they had the greatest kids ever as they adored their son and loved seeing him grow as their unborn baby did. In fact, telling Mac about all the presents he’d get from Santa had made them even more excited about the holidays and they were almost as excited as they’d been when they were kids. The past few months had been extra special too, as they liked to tell Mac about Amy’s pregnancy, partly because of how excited they were to meet their new little one, but it was also so cute to see that Mac seemed genuinely excited about becoming a big brother (well, they thought he was anyway.) Amy was due a few weeks after Easter and they couldn’t wait to meet the newest member of their family. After all, they’d already had one perfect child together and they knew their second baby would be equally perfect and, as Jake put it, would inherit their wits, kindness and humour. That evening, just before Mac’s bedtime, Amy put on a Christmas movie so she could chill with her favourite guys, who’d been so cute baking and playing together. Just like with her first pregnancy, Jake had been his usual super caring and supportive self and had always been there to give her loads of hugs and compliments when she had morning sickness and felt nauseous in the first trimester. In fact, some of Mac’s first words had been compliments where he’d tried to tell his mama how beautiful and amazing she was, after hearing Jake compliment her, as both her boys thought she was the greatest and loved her whole-heartedly. She’d also been quite emotional in the first few months of her second pregnancy and it was almost enough to make both Jake and Amy cry when Mac showed the picture he’d drawn earlier, especially as it seemed like he was trying to say it was of his future baby brother or sister. It might have looked like a scrawl or unclear circle shape to anyone else but Jake and Amy loved it and would put it in pride of place on their fridge. The thought of being a family of four next Christmas was enough to make them feel like the happiest, luckiest family that ever lived and both Amy and Jake felt that their hearts could explode from how much they loved little Mac and the little one that they’d meet next year. In fact, as they cuddled together and kissed Mac’s adorable cheeks as they swapped Christmas Eve gifts, Jake even got to feel their unborn baby kicking, as he gently touched Amy’s stomach when she snuggled into his hoodie. It was almost as if the baby was saying hello and seemed excited to meet them all and join in the festive family fun. (The very next year, on Christmas Eve as their adorable eight month-old baby, (who, like Mac, had had an early arrival) finally gives Amy a beautiful smile that was so worth the cry that had come immediately before it, while Jake hangs up the stockings with two-year-old Mac, Amy truly feels like she’s the luckiest woman alive and that each Christmas seems to be getting a bit better somehow.)