The Blue-Hassan Family

"Mommy! Mama! Santa came! There's a present." Tegan giggled as she jumped onto our bed at six in the morning.

"I know baby, but go back to sleep otherwise they'll disappear, it's still too early," I said sleepily.

She sat on her knees and looked at us. "Then why don't we just open them now? I've already seen them," she asked seriously. "Plus Santa can't just take back what he already gave. That's a bad Christmas spirit." She said.

One thing about Tegan is that she's got my attitude. Sometimes I hate it because she outsmarts me at my own game and it sucks to be outsmarted by your own child as a parent.

When she was younger she'd counter the answers we'd give her with her own kind of smarts. She'd always find a loophole for things.

Don't get me wrong, Quinn and I are incredibly proud of her because she's only four and already outsmarting us in some areas where we probably should've had better judgment and she's incredibly smart.

But it sucks to be outsmarted in moments like this when all we want is our sleep. And to just enjoy our quiet moments before the day gets out of hand.

"What if you jump in bed with us angel and we have hot chocolate for breakfast," Quinn said and she smiled widely.

"Okay!" She said as she got into bed with us and snuggled In between us. "Can I have marshmallows?"

"You most certainly can—but only if you go to sleep for a little longer," I said.

"Okay mama," she said with a smile and closed her eyes.

One thing I'm grateful for within our kids is that it does not take them long to fall asleep when they're in between us.

Especially with Tegan. She's on my been laying here with us for five minutes but she's out like a light.

"She's asleep already," I said to my wife softly.

"At least this way we can have a few more quiet moments before the day gets too insane." She smiled at me.

All I could do was smile back at her before speaking. I intertwined our fingers for a moment. "Merry Christmas my love," I said and pressed a kiss to the back of her hand.

"Merry Christmas my Zo," she blushed.

I pressed a soft kiss to her lips and looped my arm over her waist as best as I could so we could all go back to sleep for a few more hours.

🎄🎄🎄

After what felt like adequate sleep, I felt little fingers and giggles along my arm.

My eyes fluttered open a little bit to see Tegan with a wide smile on her face and Freya next to her while she held her teddy.

Freya is Nine now and honestly has the kindest heart. She is a little more reserved and shy when it comes to new situations but around the people she knows she's like a little menace.

"Tegan did it!" She quickly pointed a finger.

"You're a tattle tale," Tegan rolled her eyes.

"No rolling your eyes," I said firmly to my daughter.

"Sorry mama." She said.

"Can we have hot chocolate now?" Freya asked.

"Yes but we have to be quiet, mommy is still sleeping," I said as I crept out of bed with our daughters.

They both giggled and smiled as they ran down the stairs together. I closed the bedroom door behind us and made my way to the kitchen.

From the kitchen window, I could see the snowfall and create an even thicker layer on the ground.

I washed the dishes as the girls played a little and watched some TV before the present time.

From behind me, I felt my wife's arms wrap around me. "Did you think leaving bed and hoping I wouldn't feel you leave was a good idea?" She said with a smile as she placed her chin on my shoulder.

I pressed a kiss to her temple, dried my hands, and turned around to place a proper kiss on her lips. "No, but I didn't want to wake you," I said.

"Well it is Christmas and I rather spend it awake with my amazing family than sleeping because my wife was too kind and couldn't wake me." She said and I smiled at her.

"You're too good to us," I said.

"I rather be the best version of me to you three than anyone else." She said and kissed me once again.

After a moment, I continued washing the rest of our dishes while Quinn dried them and laid the mugs out on the countertop for hot chocolate.

We started getting hot chocolate ready when we called the girls in for marshmallows.

"Can I go first?" Tegan asked.

"You each go at the same time, two cups means one for each of you," Quinn said.

Tegan grabbed a handful of small marshmallows from the bag and was about to drop them into her mug when Quinn stopped her tiny hand.

"You're only allowed five maximum." She said sternly. "Put them down and count."

"Please, Mommy?" Tegan pleaded.

"No. Put them down and count."

Tegan sighed and Freya giggled as she ate some. "And whatever you've eaten doesn't go in your cup missy," Quinn said.

"That's not fair!" She contested. "I've had like three, I can't only have a cup of two marshmallows."

Before Quinn could even respond I was praising her for her quick maths. "Good job on the quick maths," I said and she smiled.

Quinn gave me a look and I stepped back. "You can have four which means Tegan gets to have seven in her mug."

Our four-year-old squealed in delight while our nine-year-old sighed and placed four marshmallows into her mug.

Once they were both done, we all made our way to the living room.

"Tegs, the first one to drink up all their marshmallows wins," Freya said.

"Wins what?" Tegan raised an eyebrow at her sister.

Freya thought for a moment. "They get to open a present first." She said. Tegan smirked and it wasn't long before she was drinking up all her marshmallows.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Freya take her time, chewing each one slowly while Tegan finished in record time.

"I win!" Tegan said.

"No, I really wanted to open mine first," Freya said with a fake sigh as she set her cup down with three remaining marshmallows in it.

"Maybe next time, Frey." Tegan patted her sister's shoulder not realizing she'd Freya let her intentionally win the race so she'd have marshmallows left.

I shook my head at their interaction. "Okay, are you ready?" I asked them.

"Yes!" They both nodded their heads.

"Pick anyone you want that has your name on it," Quinn said as she laid her head on my shoulder.

The moment they got it, they wasted no time in ripping each one open. Meanwhile, Quinn turned to me with a little box.

"I got you a present." She smiled at me.

"You didn't need to my love," I said.

"I know but I've been sitting on this one all year so please open it." She said.

I kissed her and opened the box. In that sense, there was a gorgeous ring, a beautiful diamond on the top in a princess cut. The band was lined with small ruby gems and a crisscross design.

"Baby, it's gorgeous," I said to her.

"I know when we first got married we made a rushed decision in buying rings and ever since then, you've got me my dream ring and I wanted to do the same for you." She said. "I want my wife to feel like the weight of the world sits on her ring finger—the same way I do." She smiled.

I chucked and kissed her. "My love, the weight of the world always sits on my finger, simply because I'm married to you. You are my world." I said to her as she blushed.

"Still, I want you to your hand to feel the part," she said. "Even if I know it already does."

"Thank you, my love," I said as I slid the new ring onto my finger. "Merry Christmas my baby."

"Merry Christmas to you my Zo." She kissed me once more before we turned to look back at our kids tearing open presents on the rug.

The perfect Christmas for me, so with that said,

Merry Christmas From Us To You.