Presents!

This is baby B's standard pose for photos, sort of like a deer in the headlights.  Maybe she was shocked at the unauthorized photo shoot . . .

 . . . so she had to promptly call her agent to complain.  She was still in her pajamas, after all.  I love how R is doing action fingers on her head and J is caught in an attempted kiss.  That baby is loved, I tell you.

One of my favorite things to do on Christmas day is to try to capture the excitement of presents.  To catch that one magical moment when someone removes just enough of the wrapping to catch a glimpse of what's inside and their emotion is flashed across their face.  It's over so quickly, it's a challenge to catch.  Which is probably one of the reasons I love trying.  Because it isn't easy.  It makes giving so fun--to be able to witness that joy or awe or even sometimes bitter disappointment.  I love it all.

J wanted to build a present wall.  We were happy to oblige.  Made the perfect window to watch the present opening.

I am also fortunate enough to have the opportunity to capture a fair amount of dog butts in my photos.  Charger knows that he is a member of the family and so he is always ready to jump into the center of things.

Baby butts are a whole lot cuter.  Especially when they are all wrapped up in the very same Christmas outfit worn by each of her older siblings.  A tad small, but who cares?  A tradition is a tradition.

Aunt N sent these stylish boots for B.  The moment she opened them she was infatuated.  Insisted that I put them on immediately.  Actually, immediately was hardly fast enough for her.

Then she proceeded to show them off in every manner possible.

I remembered to make sure that I was in some photos this year.  Some years, that gets woefully overlooked in my attempts to capture everyone else's magical moments.  And yep, that is yet another butt in the photo.  She was crashing the picture of the nice gift K and S gave me.

The aftermath.  And though you can't tell from the photo, it was blissfully quiet since all the kids were so absorbed in their new activities.

Merry Christmas to all!