The Big Day

If I were a billionaire, I think I would hire a personal photographer for each of my children on Christmas morning. Although Mike and I were each armed with either the video camera or still camera, there are so many shots we can't get with five children pulling things randomly out of their bags from Santa. Santa doesn't wrap gifts at our house, but instead puts 3 gifts plus an outfit and underwear in bags sewn a few years ago by yours truly.

It seemed that I was more focused on an insignificant package of firefighter toys Joshua was coming to show me, than the much desired remote controlled helicopter Luke was pulling from his bag, or the American Girl surprise being pulled from Ellie's bag.

(At least the photo captures Megan's face in response to the American Girl surprise.)

There are times, I wish I could throw out the expectations of photographs and soak up the moments a little more. But what would that really say about us as parents if we took no photos on Christmas morning!? Besides, this year the photos of Christmases past that my mother has in a little Christmas album, really seemed to tug at my heartstrings more than in years past, and I felt even more the desperate need to capture today's memories for my children to fondly look back on in a few decades like I so enjoy doing with my own childhood photos.

And so there you have it. A few obligatory photos of Christmas morning.

I wish I could say this outfit was only a temporary outfit. But I guess Drew was more excited about receiving a pair of church shoes for Christmas than we thought. (Not to mention the packet of underwear he received that he had to try out each pair throughout the day.) He kept the church shoes on for a long time. Perhaps he was worried they would disappear and he would have to keep going to church without shoes like he has for the last 4 weeks. True story.

(They weren't exactly a "Christmas present" but I was trying to even out the presents from Mike and I for each child, and so church shoes got wrapped for him.)

Such is life around here.
Merry Christmas 2012!