Worth Waiting For

December 25, 2010
Christmas

“Joe, do you have Lexi ready yet? Our parents will be here soon.” I said as I walked past our bedroom, my arms full of presents for our family.

“Almost set,” he said. “Just putting on the finishing touches.”

“This can’t be good,” I muttered to myself as I walked down the stairs. “Lana, breakfast smells amazing.”

“Thanks… my Mom always makes it every Christmas and it feels weird not being with her and my Dad.” She said as she flipped something over in the pan.

“Aw yeah. Don’t worry, you’ll still have fun. There’s nothing like a Jonas Christmas.” I said as I set the presents under the tree and grabbed my camera.

“Good morning!” Lauren cried, bounding down the stairs with Kevin in tow. “Hello Mommy-dearest.”

“Looks like someone was hit in the head with the pep-stick this morning.” I laughed as Lauren flitted about the front room making sure all the decorations were hanging perfectly.

“On Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen. On Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen. On Rudolph! And now the tenth and eleventh reindeer on Santa’s sleigh, Joe and Alexandra Jonas!” Joe cried, coming down the stairs holding Lexi. He made his way into the front room and Kevin, Lauren, and I burst out laughing at the ridiculous antlers on their heads and Lexi’s outfit to match. “Or, as we like to be called, Goober and Buttercup.”

“Aw, hey cutie,” Kevin said, taking Lexi from Joe.

“Well hello, Goober.” I said, walking over to Joe.

“What’s so funny in here?” Lana asked, coming in from the kitchen.

“Lana, meet Goober and Buttercup. Santa’s new reindeer.”

“Ha, well very nice to meet Santa’s newest helpers,” she said while adjusting Lexi’s headband. Kevin handed Lexi back to Joe and I snapped a picture just as the bell rang.

“I’ll get it,” Kevin said. He went and answered the door and came back with Mom, Dad, Frankie, and Nick.

“Merry Christmas!” they cried, coming in with a bag of presents. Dad set them under the tree as Mom took Lexi from Joe.

“Joe… what’s on your head?” Frankie asked.

“My name is not Joe. My name is Goober, and Buttercup and I are Santa’s new reindeer.”

“Oh, my niece’s name is Buttercup now, is it?” Nick asked, gently taking Lexi from Mom. “Nah… you’re not a Buttercup,” he cooed as Lana walked over to him. “You’re our little Lexi girl. You’re Daddy however, really is a Goober.”

“Why, thank you,” Joe said, taking a bow. A few moments later my parents arrived with Mr. and Mrs. Herrmann and we sat down to the breakfast that Lana prepared for us.

****

“Lana this smells amazing,” my mother said as my father passed her a plate. I was about to feed Lexi some baby food when the doorbell rang.

“Who could that be?” I asked.

“I’ll get it!” Nick said, jumping up from the table.

“Do you know what this is all about?” I asked Joe.

“I honestly have no idea.” He said as Nick came back into the room.

“Lana,” he said.

“Yeah?” she asked, looking up from her conversation with my mother and Mom.

“Will you come here for a second?”

“Uh, sure,” she said, giving us all a weird glance as she walked out of the room.

Five seconds later we all heard a loud scream and Lexi started crying. I tried to calm her down as we all scrambled to the front room to see what all the commotion was about. I was surprised to see Lana laughing in the arms of her parents.

“Guys! Nick flew my parents out from Texas!” she exclaimed, turning around and smiling at us all.

“It… is okay that I invited them here right guys?” Nick asked. “It totally slipped my mind to ask.”

“No, it’s fine. The more the merrier.” I said. “Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell.”

“Please, David and Leslie,” they said, introducing themselves to everyone.

“Congratulations, by the way. We brought a gift for Alexandra.” Leslie said.

“Oh, you didn’t have to do that,” Joe said.

“Yes, really, but thank you.” I said.

“It was our pleasure, thanks for hosting Lana and taking good care of her.”

“She’s been a real big help with the baby after school and on weekends.” I said, wrapping an arm around Lana.

“Just returning the favor,” she said.

“Well, come on; let’s go in the dining room. Lana made us this traditional Christmas breakfast,” Lauren said, ushering David and Leslie into the dining room with the rest of us following behind.

****

“Time for presents,” Joe said, ushering everyone into the front room.

“I’ll be right there,” my father said. “Start without me.”

The rest of us gathered in front room around the tree. I sat on the floor with Lexi in my lap and I was leaning against Joe legs where he was sitting on the couch. Frankie decided to pass the gifts out to everyone. I opened Lexi’s presents first and Joe waited to open his until I was ready to open mine. Kevin and Lauren gave her a beautiful music box that played When You Wish Upon A Star.

“Ho, ho, ho!”

Everyone’s heads turned to the staircase where… Santa… was coming down. He walked into the front room and smiled around at us all.

“Uh… Dad?” I asked, trying not to laugh.

“No, I’m Santa,” he said, walking over and bending so he was looking at Lexi. She looked up at him… not really sure what to think and then her face broke out into the biggest grin. He picked her up and I grabbed my camera, snapping a few photos. I watched as my father laughed with Lexi as she tugged on his fake beard and walked over to my mother.

“Mom, why did Dad do this?” I asked quietly.

“He wants to make up for your childhood. Melissa, we feel so bad we didn’t pay more attention to you and your talents and what you wanted. We forced so much on you and we wish we could take it all away.”

“Mom… you guys don’t have to do stuff like this. We set aside our differences. I know you’ll be there for Lexi.”

“I know we don’t have to… we want to…” she said, smiling softly at me. I smiled back and we returned to our happy Christmas.

****

December 31, 2010
New Years’ Eve

“Hey Lexi,” I said, checking on her after her nap. “Are you ready for the new year?”

I carried her downstairs and she smiled up at me. Lana was spending the night with her parents at their hotel room and Nick and Frankie were staying here for the night in her room. It was just the seven of us celebrating.

“Hand over the baby.” Lauren said as I entered the living room. I handed her Lexi and then flopped down onto the couch, resting my head on Nick’s shoulder.

“Is someone tired?” Nick asked as his body shook with laughter.

“Exhausted. She didn’t sleep at all last night.” I said with a yawn.

“Neither did I.” Joe said sitting next to me and laying on the couch, his head placed on my lap. I smiled and stroked his face.

“Seriously guys?” Frankie asked from his seat on the chair. The five of us looked at him while Lexi just looked around. “We’re supposed to be celebrating. It’s the new year!”

“Not this year Frankie,” I said with a yawn.

“Let’s just relax.” Kevin said, turning on the TV.

****

“Lyss… Lyss, wake up.” Joe said, shaking my shoulders.

“Hm?”

“It’s 1 am… we fell asleep.”

“What? We missed new years’? What about Lexi?”

“Kevin and Lauren took care of her,” he said. “Come on… let’s go to bed.”

“Mm, bed,” I said, standing up with his help. When we got upstairs I checked on Nick and Frankie… sound asleep in Lana’s room.

“Hey Ally-Baby,” Joe was whispering to Lexi when I got in the room. She was sleeping peacefully in her crib.

“I think we can move her to the nursery soon,” I whispered as I climbed into bed.

“Start off the new year in a new room.” He agreed. “Happy New Year.” He said, giving me a kiss.

“Happy New Year.”