A beautiful photographer

Chapter 10 - Baking contest

*Tom pov*
The morning after I wake up at 8:30 and decide to let Charlotte sleep a bit longer, so I find my way downstairs where my mother is already making breakfast for everyone
"Morning mum" I say kissing her cheek
"Hi Tom"
I make myself a nice cup of tea while chatting with my mum
"Good morning" Emma says
"Morning" me and mum say
We start to eat breakfast when Sarah comes down talking with Ellie at 9.
"Hi" Ellie says
"Good morning darling" my mother says
"Ellie...breakfast?" Emma asks
"Thank you! Hi Tom" she says hugging me
I hug her back and kiss her head
"Alex is still sleeping?"
"Sort of...mom?"
"Still asleep...I'll go wake up Alex"
Once in the room where the kids slept I gently shake awake Alex
"Time to wake up"
"I'm hungry"
"My mum made breakfast...it's waiting for you in the kitchen"
"Mhm"
I take off the blankets and pick him up, bringing him downstairs
"Some sleepy boy is hungry" I say entering the kitchen again
I sit down on a chair and let Alex sit on my lap
"Here you go sweetie" my mum says placing a plate in front of him
"Can you eat on your own buddy?" I ask him
"I think so..."
He slowly starts to eat while I entertain myself with Ellie
"What can we do today?"
"Mmm...good question. It's pretty cold outside, so maybe we can do something inside...like baking muffins and decorate them?"
"Oh fun!"
"Do we have everything we need mum?"
"We do darling!"
"Perfect!"

After ten minutes or so Charlotte comes down the stairs
"Good morning everyone"
"Morning!" My mother and sisters say together
"Hi mom" Ellie says
"Mummy" Alex says
"Hi babies"
She kisses them both then rests her head on my shoulder whispering
"You're cute" and then kissing my neck and I smile to myself knowing that she is referring to the fact that I'm holding Alex
"Morning beautiful" I say looking back and kissing her

*Charlotte pov*
Once we had lunch Tom and I organized the baking, getting out all the ingredients and calling the kids in the kitchen when we were ready
"All right...if I remember correctly we should put the liquid ingredients first" Tom says
"Correct"
"Me and Tom can mix the liquid ones and Alex and mom can mix the powders"
"Great idea" I say
"Tom said we can decorate too!" Alex says enthusiastically
"We can have a decoration contest" Ellie says
"Yes...and my mother and sisters are going to be the judges"
As I help Alex pour all the powders in a bowl, I glance at Tom and my daughter...they smile and look at each other.
I can't help but smile at how happy the kids are when Tom is around, we all been happier!
Once baked and cooled the two teams, Alex and I and Tom and Ellie, start to decorate the muffins with frosting and sprinkles.
Of course some of the frosting lands on our faces...Tom "accidentally" moves his frosting pipe on my nose and lips
"Tom!"
"Mommy you look funny" Alex says
"Oh...ops!"
"Sometimes you act like a little kid!"
"Let me fix that"
He reaches my neck with his hand and kisses my nose and lips licking off the frosting
"All done!" He says proud of himself

"So...who's the winner team?"
"It has been a very hard choice..." Diane says
"Right...and the verdict is..." Sarah says
"It's a tie!" Emma announces
"They were too beautiful and good to choose one winner" Diane says

After having dinner Tom brought us back home and helped me put Alex to bed.
I open the front door an he makes his way on the steps
"Thank you for coming with me this weekend, it was amazing" he says
"We had so much fun and the kids loved to spend more time with you than just a few hours a day"
"Me too" he says smiling
"We should do this more often"
"We definitely should...goodnight darling"
"Night...date night soon?"
"Sure...when?"
"Ms. Jules says she can watch the kids on Wednesday night"
"Wednesday night it is, I'll pick you up at 8 dinner at my place"
"Perfect"
We kiss goodnight and I head to bed, making sure to text him once more before falling asleep.