Veronica loves slow starts to the day, snuggles in bed with her husband and two babies. After chasing them around for an hour, Archie comes back into their room with the kids and a cup of hot coffee for Veronica.
"Well, school is cancelled for Liv, and I thought maybe we could all stay home," Archie proposes, giving Veronica a morning cuddle while he passes her their almost one year old son, Arthur . Their daughter is five and just started kindergarten a few months ago, a total ball of energy just like her father.
"That sounds really nice," Veronica lifts Artie into the air, watching his face light up. Archie reaches to tickle the baby's tummy and he erupts in a fit of giggles.
"Mommy, I want my hair in braids today please," Olivia comes closer, sitting next to her baby brother. "Artie doesn't have enough hair to braid." She frowns, but it makes her parents smile.
"Okay, sweetheart," Veronica holds both of her kids close, getting in some much needed cuddle time. "Why don't we braid your hair, and Daddy can take baby brother downstairs and make some breakfast?"
"Yes," Olivia grins, jumping off of the bed. "Dad, I would really like pancakes."
She's so much like Veronica, it kills him sometimes.
Veronica loves watching Archie with the kids. She always knew he would be an incredible Dad, but there's nothing like the feeling of watching him help Olivia cut her pancakes. Both of the kids love him SO much, he's probably both of their favorites at this current stage.
Artie is sitting up in her lap, working on clapping his hands while Veronica feeds him a small amount of berries and some cut up pancakes.
"Can we please play in the snow?" Olivia asks, giving those puppy dog eyes that her parents can't resist.
"I'll take the kids out in the snow," Archie suggests. Veronica is relieved that she doesn't have to suffer in the cold, but she's not surprised. Archie always volunteers for the outdoor stuff with the kiddos anyways.
"I'll go get them bundled up," Veronica rests Arthur on her hip and takes Liv by the hand, up the stairs to their bedrooms. Olivia of course has the cutest pink overall snow pants and coat, and she picks out some purple gloves and a polka dot beanie to put over her braids.
On top of all of her layers they add an extra pair of socks for good measure, and Olivia does her best to tie her own boots. After she's dressed, she gets so excited to help Veronica change the baby.
Artie has a tiny little snowsuit that they bought him, seeing that where they live and the places they visit are all freezing, and she adds lots of layers for him as well, including a hat and some old pink baby gloves that used to be Liv's.
"He looks all squished in there," Olivia giggles, tickling her baby brother. When Veronica picks him up, he lays against her chest and she can't help but pepper his tiny little face with kisses.
Downstairs, Archie is all bundled up himself, and he happily takes the baby into his arms before Olivia is all but pushing him out the door into the white piles of snow covering their front yard. She watches her husband help Artie to touch the snow, chase Olivia around, in front of their little house. She never imagined this as her life but she's so happy with the choices she made and where they brought her.
With the free time, she takes a quick bath and reads a book in front of the fire after changing into some lounge clothes. Not long after, Archie steps inside, Olivia waiting patiently on the front porch.
"I'm so sorry, Ronnie," he passes her the baby, who is crying urgently. "He wants to come inside. I think he's cold and got all wet."
"No worries," Veronica brushes the baby's cheek, soothing him somewhat. "I'll go run him a warm bath and give him a bottle."
"You're amazing," Archie kisses his wife, just a peck.
After his bath, Veronica snuggles her baby in a towel and changes him into a onesie before he falls asleep in her arms, so she rocks him in the living room recliner for as long as he'll let her.
"Mama," Olivia bursts into the living room. "Daddy and I just made a snowman and I really want you to come see, and bring your phone for a picture!"
Veronica quickly grabs a coat and shoes a warm blanket for Artie and holds him tight. "Coming, Livvy," she giggles.
Archie pulls her into his embrace by the waist the second she's outside, kissing the side of her face with his cold lips.
"This is our snowman," Olivia presents proudly. She's her mother's twin, but her smile is all Archie, so wide and adorable.
"Wow, sweetheart," Veronica grins. Even though it's just a snowman, and Archie helped, she's still proud because of how proud Olivia is of herself.
"Artie didn't help all that much," the little one giggles. "Daddy had to hold him and he didn't like the snow."
Almost as if he knows they're talking about him, the baby frowns slightly in Veronica's arms. She passes him to Archie so that she can take pictures of the snowman. Once they're done, Olivia wants to play in the snow for a little bit longer, so Veronica takes Artie inside and watches them through the window, deciding to make some hot chocolate for them.
After coming in, the four Andrews sit at the dining room table, Artie in his dad's lap, sipping on their mugs of cocoa and listening to Liv ponder names out loud for her snowman, to which Veronica has to explain that the snowman is eventually going to melt. There's a few tears, and even more tears when Veronica reminds her it's time to take a bath and go to bed.
Once she finally agrees to be tucked in, both parents and her baby brother give her a goodnight kiss. She takes Artie into his room and nurses him before putting him to bed, joining Archie downstairs on the couch. Snuggling into his lap, she steals the TV remote to change it from a boring football game to a better show.
"Do you think Liv will have school tomorrow?" Archie questions, burying his face into hair and taking in a deep breath of her floral shampoo. It's his favorite smell in the whole world.
"Probably not," Veronica shrugs. "The roads won't get better until the sun starts coming out."
"Perfect," Archie grins, kissing her shoulder.
"What are you up to?" Veronica turns around to catch his suspicious face.
"Just thinking about a family sledding day," Archie smiles to himself.
Veronica wouldn't admit it, but that does sound like fun. And she'll soak up all the winter memories she can get.
A/N:
Because I miss winter.....
CLEARLY I'm on an adult varchie kick! How do we feel about that?