Page 93 of Tides and Tidings

“Yay!” Wren stood on our bed and jumped off before taking off down the hallway.

“Wait at the bottom of the stairs!” Blythe yelled behind Wren.

“It’s so early.” She turned towards me.

“You’re the one who instigated a late-night last night.” I teased.

“Sue me.” She stuck her tongue out.

“You willingly entered into this.”

Blythe sat up and placed a kiss on my cheek. “I did so happily. I might miss sleeping in, but this is worth it.”

“Guys!” Wren called from the bottom of the stairs.

“We’re being summoned.” I joked.

“Let’s go. I can’t wait to see her face light up when she sees her gifts.”

“The kid is going to lose her mind.”

We finally moved from the warmth of our bed. The cooler air pricked my skin, and I shuddered. Blythe was still very acclimated to the cold, but I was not so much.

We made our way to the bottom of the staircase to meet Wren, who was staring wide-eyed at the tree and the few packages underneath it.

“Are those for me?” She looked up at me.

“All for you, Little Bird. You can go over there.” I encouraged her.

Wren leaped off the bottom step and ran over to the tree. Her head swiveled from left to right, taking it all in.

Blythe knelt next to her and wrapped her arm around Wren’s shoulders. “Why don’t you start with the small boxes and then work your way to the big one?” She motioned towards the one big box. We knew damn well that was going to be the gift Wren liked the most.

“Okay!” Wren opened up the handful of small boxes.

I felt like one of those memes where the dad sits there on Christmas morning, not knowing what is in any of the boxes. This was the first year I didn’t have to think of gift ideas, and I was more than relieved. Blythe happily led the charge for present-buying, and Wren could tell. All the gifts were carefully planned and wrapped.

This year was truly the first year that felt like Christmas. The holidays had lost their luster, but now it’s back.

I watched as Blythe helped Wren unwrap her gifts, explaining each one. They were lost in their little world, and I was happily third-wheeling. Blythe motioned for Wren to sit on the couch while she grabbed the big box.

“Are you ready?”

Wren nodded at her favorite person.

“This is a gift from your Dad and me.”

“Is it a baby brother?” Wren’s smile grew.

I didn’t know she wanted to be a big sister. I made a mental note to talk to Blythe about that later. I’d love to have another kid. It would give Wren someone to grow up with and selfishly, it would allow me to enjoy the newborn stage without the crippling fear I had last time.

“No, it’s not,” Blythe answered. “Open it and find out!”

Wren ripped into the wrapping paper and opened the box. “Oh my gosh!” She pulled out a massive stuffed turtle. “This is so cool!”

“There’s one more thing in the box.” Blythe nodded towards the box on the floor.

Wren reached in and grabbed a photo of a sea turtle. “He’s cute!”