Christmas.

"Merry Christmas, little munchkins!"

"It cwismas! Teo, it cwismas!" Julia jumps with excitement.

"Yeah, Juju! Let's go see what Santa brought you!
Daddy, sister and grandma and Grandpa Huston are downstairs already!"

"Let's goooo!" Julia runs.

"No Juju, wait for mommy!"

"I go myself!"

"No, you're not used to the stairs, you need to hold my hand!"

"No I go myself!"

While holding the baby, Jessica rushes over and grabs Julia's hand.
Julia gives her mother a face and stomps her foot.

"No help!"

"Julia Summer, what is that face?" Jessica laughs.  Julia's mad face made everyone laugh.  It was too cute!

"Let's just go, you're fine Juju!"

**

Later that day Jessica took the kids to her parents' house. Sam and Landon were going to be there as well.

"Merry Christmas, babes! Jess, where's Danny?" Ann asks.

"He's with his family. They didn't want him to leave so I told him to just stay." Jessica smiles softly.

"It's not because he hates us?"

"What?! No! He doesn't hate you guys!"

"Really? Cause I hate him."

"Ann!" Dorothy pats her arm.

Jessica sighs and says, "I'm sorry that you feel that way, Ann. Danny's really a great man and I wish you'd see that."

"Bite your tongue, Ann!" Jane whispers to her sister.

Ann rolls her eyes and says, "Well I'm glad.. hopefully one day we'll see that side of him."

Jessica then walked out and went to sit with Sam.

"Jessie! Jessie!"

"What, Landon?!" Jessica matches his excitement.

"My daddy gave me all the toys!"

"Awesome, buddy! I'm so happy for you!"

"Yeah and my grandma gave us a picture of me, Auttie, Mommy and Daddy! And daddy cried!"

"Aw!" Jessica pouts. "Sammy.." She then reaches over and rubs his thigh.

"It was a nice picture. One we took right before we found out she was sick.. I just can't help but be mad that we didn't do something sooner. She'd still be here!"

"Sam." Jessica scoots closer and wraps her arm around him. "I know it's hard, honey. I know you blame yourself and think of all of the things you'd do over.. but God has a plan, and everything happens for a reason."

Sam looks at Jessica. She looked deeply into his eyes. It was obvious she really cared for him.

"I know. I know this was all apart of his plan.. his plan sucks." Sam chuckles.

Jessica smiles and wipes the tear that rolled down his cheek.

From afar Autumn watched with a smile on her face.
She doesn't remember a time where her parents were together, and lately she's been thinking about what it would be like if they had never separated.
However, Autumn does know that if Danny wasn't in their lives, neither would her siblings.  So that thought would always quickly disappear. She does have a great love for Danny, but she has seen him hurt her mother many many times.

Autumn just wanted everyone to be happy.
Whether that meant her parents being together or not.

***

Autumn's 10th Birthday.

Autumn's party was as always going to be held at her grandparents' house.
After a lot of convincing, Danny finally agreed to let Sam be at her party.

"Our Baby girl is ten years old, can you believe that, Jess?"

"No!  It's crazy!"

"I remember when she came out.. there was this tiny little beauty in my arms.. I was so in love." Sam says with tears in his eyes.

Jessica watched as Sam spoke about their daughter with a smile on his face.  He loves her with all of his heart, it was very clear.
Since day one, he has been the most amazing father ever. Jessica felt so blessed.

**

"So just in case anyone was wondering.. Our house will be ready in one week!" Danny says as he rubs Jessica's back.

"Yep! We're finally going to be home owners!" Jessica smiles to Danny.

Danny leans in and pecks her lips. He then looks up and says, "Baby Theo's birthday party will be at the house, and we hope you all can make it!" He lightly bounces the baby, making him laugh.

"Oh we'll be there! This is so exciting, you guys!" Dorothy smiled.

Danny seemed different this visit. It was a huge relief. Maybe Jessica was right. Maybe some people can change.

***

February 16th.

Jessica woke up to Theodore on top of her chest. He babbled then threw himself forward and sucked on her nose.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Jessica laughed.

Theodore smiles and signs, milk.

"I'll give you milkies, honey. It's not in there though!" Jessica laughed.
"But First, my little cutie! Happy Birthday!! You're one year old today!" Jessica holds one fingers up.

"That's so big!"

Theodore fussed, signed milk once again, then rubbed his chest.

"Such good manners! I'm coming, sweet boy." Jessica smiles and kisses his chubby cheek.

Once he was finished, Jessica sat him up and signed, Thank You.

"Say thank you!"

Theodore did what he was told then poked his right ear.

"Oh yes! Let's get your hearing aids!"

Jessica grabbed his glasses and hearing aids, and placed them on him.

"There you go! Now you can hear mama!
Happy Birthday, handsome boy!"

Theodore screams with excitement then claps his hands.

"Haha! Yay!" She smiles.

**

That afternoon friends and family came over to celebrate Theodore's first birthday.

"Everything is perfect! Teddy bear is having a ball!" Jessica smiles.

"Yeah, it's great."

"What's wrong, honey?"

"I told you I didn't want Sam here."

"And I told You I wanted him here!" Jessica says sternly.

"He's done so much for Theo and he deserves to be here!"

"I don't like it, Jess." Danny nods.

"I don't care."

That was the first time in a long time Jessica stood up for what she wanted, and didn't care what Danny had to say.  She wanted Sam there, and that was that.

**

After the party came to an end, Danny grabbed two books Theodore had received.

"Look!  Books to help him say mamma and dada."

"Aren't those cute?  Plus it teaches them what noise each animal makes!  I love it!" Jessica smiles.

"I know!  Come here, Theo.  You're gonna say Dada first!  Not smelly old mama!"

"Ohhh!  That's not nice!" Jessica giggles.

Danny sits beside him on the ground and begins reading.

"DADA!  The ducks say, Quack, Quack!
.. Now turn the page!"

Theodore roughly slaps the page down and Danny chuckles, then continues reading.

"DADA!  The pigs say, Oink, Oink!"

Theodore turns the page once again.

"He's so smart!" Jessica smiles and places her hand on her chest.

"DADA!  The dogs say, Ruff, Ruff!"

Theodore sighs and says, "Mama!" He then crawls to Jessica in his little diaper and socks over to his mother.

Theodore has never spoke a word, so they were shocked to hear him say, Mama.

"That's right!  Haha!  He still said mama first!" Jessica laughs and picks him up for kisses.

"Of course he did!" Danny laughs.

"Maybe your little brother or sister will say dada first." Danny walks over and kisses his son on the cheek.

"What?  Are you pregnant?" Autumn asks Jessica.

"No!" Jessica giggles. "But don't you think One More little sibling would be fun?"

"Yes, buuuut.. do we have the room?  Our house isn't that big, momma." Autumn was very concerned.

"Of course we do!  Theo and the new baby will share his room.. that he's still not sleeping in." Danny looks at Theodore.

"Mama!" He says backing away from Danny and laying on Jessica's chest.

Jessica smiles and rubs his back.
"Such a sweet sweet voice!"

"It'll all work out, Auttie!  Besides, I need one to actually look like me!  And one that says dada before mama!"

"I have one more shot!" Danny chuckles.

What no one knows is that Danny and Jessica have been trying since January to get pregnant.
Danny was eager to have another baby as soon as possible.
Jessica of course wanted one, but the excitement Danny showed really made her give the Okay even sooner than she planned.
She saw hope, and a bright future with Danny.  He was so much different than he was just one year ago today.  Would he stay that way?  Jessica prayed he would.

In April of that year, Danny and Jessica found out they were adding a new baby Huston to the bunch.
On April 20th; Jessica's Birthday, she unfortunately suffered a miscarriage.

Will this break Jessica?  Will it break their marriage?  Or will it make them stronger than ever?