The Night Before

Chapter 46

25 December 1968

ADALINE'S POV

"MUMMY! DADDY! IT CHRIMMAS!!" We heard Madelynn yelp as she climbed into our bed. "Daddy, uppy!"

I woke up to see her shaking Paul lightly. He was fighting to stay asleep, his messy hair covering his eyes. Within the last few weeks Paul had grown out his hair and his beard. He said he wanted a change, but I also felt that the stress of everything was getting to him and he just wanted to let it all go. It was an adjustment from his usual little scruff, but I must say that I do like it.

"Good morning, darling. Merry Christmas." I smiled, sitting up as I pulled her close to me. "Is Daddy not waking up for you?"

"Daddy, it Chrimmas!" She yelled again. I ran my fingers through his hair as he finally decided to get up.

"Mmm, there's both my girls.." He said rather tiredly.

"Come on, love. It's time to get up. I think someone wants to see what Santa brought."

"We go get Matty!!" Madelynn jumped off the bed, pulling me with her as we went down the hall to the other bedroom.

"Good morning, baby boy."

He sat up in his crib and reached up for me. "Ma ma ma ma!"

"Merry Christmas, little man." Picking him up I kissed him before looking down at Mady. "You ready to go see what you got?"

"Yess!!" She ran down to the living room. I followed behind her, setting Matt next to her in front of the tree.

"Paul? Love, can you grab the camera from the bedroom?"

"I'll get it now!" He called. A minute later he came into the living room with the camera. "Here you go, darling."

"Thank you." I smiled, taking it from him as I turned to Mady. "Do you want to open your first gift, sweetheart?"

"Yessy!" She grabbed one of the gifts, excitedly ripped the paper off and opened her gift. "Daddy! Looky!"

"Let me see, darling." Madelynn held up her new princess dress and crown. (It's what she said she wanted the most this year).

"Wow! You're going to be such a beautiful princess in that! Let me help you put the crown on." He sat down on the floor by the kids, helping Mady put on her crown. "There we go. You look so pretty in your new crown!"

"I Princess!"

"Yes you are, sweetie! Now Matt should open one of his. Paul, love? Will you help him with his?"

He gave me a nod, pulling Matt and the gift into his lap. He started pulling the paper a bit so that Matt could try to get ahold of it and rip. Opening it a bit (with the help of Paul) Matt became so excited as he saw his gift.

"Look, little man, more stuffed animals!" Paul exclaimed as Matt let out a big giggle, pulling some of them to him.

I will be the first to say that our children are OBSESSED with stuffed animals. We honestly have more than we know what to do with, but you can bet that each of them have a name and a certain place on the bed.

For the next half an hour or so we continued on with the presents. Matt and Mady opened theirs followed by Paul and I. The kids got loads of new toys and some new clothes. Paul bought me a new typewriter, some clothes, a necklace with all of our birthstones on it, and much to my surprise, a keyboard. He said it was for me to learn how to play piano more. He's been enjoying our bonding time at the studio.