It's a Wonderful life

What a Way to Wake up

"No," Ariana replied slowly. "But..."

"Hey, don't complain, you promised them, besides it's a tradition," Jai stated simply.

"Right, it's a tradition," Ariana replied, hopefully sounding sincere as she removed the warm comforter from her body. She quickly stood up, whoa, way too fast for a pregnant lady. Where are my feet? she thought, as she looked down. "Christmas tree pancakes for the...the munchkins coming right up," she forced a smile as Jai walked in front of her.

"Do you mind if I take a quick shower?" he asked as he pulled her towards him, as close as they could get with her bump being in the way.

"No, go ahead," Ariana lied, quickly putting a smile on her face. Of course it wasn't ok if he took a shower, then she would be on her own, in a place...in a life that she had never been in before.

"Thanks baby, I'll be quick I promise," and with that he leaned down for his morning kiss and Ariana could barely wait. A minute later their lips parted, both with satisfied grins on their faces. Ariana could really get used to that. "Love you."

"Love you too," Ariana smiled as Jai retreated into their bathroom. That kiss was amazing, who cared if they both had a little bit of morning breath - STOP! You did not just tell him that you loved him, that's a major lie, ok not really but...

"Mommy!" another little voice called out, or at least Ariana thought it had to be a different voice, it sounded younger. Kids pretty much all sounded the same to her.

"Coming," Ariana sighed and began to head out of the bedroom. She stopped when she heard the water turn on in the bathroom, what she would give to be in there. Naked...wet...Jai...yum, screw Christmas tree pancakes.

"Mommy!" Ariana almost collided with a little girl.

"Um hi," Ariana looked down at the little girl. She was practically Ariana's splitting image, the brown eyes, the long curly brown hair.

"Morning Mommy," the little girl said, Ariana guessed that she must have been around five or six.

"Hi," Ariana repeated again, staring at the beautiful little girl in front of her, apparently her little girl. "Soooo... are you hungry?"

The little girl nodded her head, "I'm famished!" she exclaimed dramatically.

"Famished?" Ariana giggled. "You must be channeling Dianna." Ariana thought about her best friend, well at least she hoped they were still best friends.

"You always say that," the little girl said as she laced her fingers with Ariana's as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"I do?" Ariana asked, she smiled down at her daughter, she could not believe that she had a daughter and a baby on the way as she rubbed her stomach. And let's not forget...

"Mommy!" there was that other voice again, echoing through the hallway, even louder than before.

"Kenzie's up!" the older girl exclaimed as she let go of Ariana's hand and ran down the hallway. Ariana quickly followed, or rather quickly waddled.

"Mommy!" Mackenzie, or Kenzie as she was so affectionately called, clapped her chubby little hands at the sight of her mother.

"Hi Kenzie!" Ariana happily exclaimed, at least she knew one of her children's names. She looked at the little angel in the little white crib; she had to have been about two. She was a perfect match of her and Jai; her brown eyes and bright smile and Jai's nose and adorably curly chestnut colored hair.

"No potty in the morning Mommy!" Kenzie shouted as she stood up in her crib.

"Yay!" the oldest little girl shouted as well. "Kenzie didn't peeeee in her pull up!" she walked over and reached a hand inside of the bars, wildly shaking her sister's hands, both girls laughing hysterically.

Ariana couldn't help but smile, they were absolutely adorable and they were all hers and besides this was supposed to be a happy occasion. "Good job baby!" Ariana bent over as best she could and placed a kiss on Kenzie's head. "Mommy is so happy and Daddy is going to be so proud."

"Kenzie a big girl Mommy?" Kenzie looked up to Ariana.

"Oh Kenzie is a very big girl," Ariana couldn't help but laugh at the fact that little girl was talking in third person. "How about some pancakes for a very big girl?"

"Yay!" both girls exclaimed.

"Come on," Ariana reached her hands down to pick her daughter up, but she hadn't realized how difficult this was going to be, her stomach was definitely in the way and the bars of the crib were too tall for her to get a good grip on the small toddler.

"I got her," Jai was quickly at her side and in an instant he grabbed Mackenzie.

"Well that was by far the world's quickest shower," Ariana grinned as she placed her hands on her belly.

"Funny," Jai replied before giving Mackenzie a kiss on the cheek. "Morning my little ladybug," he looked back at his wife. "I just got in the shower when I realized that you were going to have to get Kenzie out and I knew that was becoming difficult so..."

"My hero," Ariana swooned as she placed her hands over her heart.

"I do what I can," Jai laughed as he puffed out his chest.

"Cute," Ariana smiled and couldn't resist kissing Jai on the cheek; it just felt right and he didn't seem to mind.

"I try," he bent over and placed Mackenzie down next to her sister. "And how's my butterfly this morning?"

"Good Daddy," the older girl smiled wide as she wrapped her arms around Jai's neck.

"Good," Jai smiled as he placed a kiss on her cheek as well. "Are you girls excited about today?"

Both girls screamed, Ariana was definitely going to have to get used to that, and Jai laughed. "Mommy's going to make her famous Christmas tree pancakes and then we'll go out and look for a real Christmas tree."

"Yay!" Kenzie squealed as she latched onto Ariana's leg.

"Bigger than last year's tree, right Daddy?" the oldest girl asked, excitement in her voice.

"Whatever you want, Caitlin," Jai smiled.

Caitlin, finally a name to put with that cute little face, Ariana thought. "Jai," she began, she had no idea why she had said it, but for some reason it sounded right.

"What?" Jai asked innocently, already knowing what was coming.

"Whatever she wants?" Ariana asked, the words flying out of her mouth as her hands went to rest on her lower back. "You're spoiling them too much," she whispered.

"That's funny coming our of your mouth baby, DC's only princess," Jai chuckled.

"Ha ha," Ariana pouted, knowing that Jai was right.

"We'll get a tree that's bigger than last year's butterfly," Jai gave all three of his girls one more kiss. "Let me finish my shower than I'll be down to help you."

"Ok," Ariana smiled as Jai exited Mackenzie's bedroom and she looked down to her two girls, who were smiling bright at her. Suddenly Ariana wasn't so nervous, maybe she could really get used to this life.

+=+=+=+=+

So, what do you think?😊 I just love writing Ari as a mom. That's why she is a mom in most of my stories. 💜