My Newest Wrapper

Wrapping a present for the first time is a bit of a big deal when you are a kid.  Maybe you still remember the first time you got be included in the wrapping of Christmas presents.  I know I do.  My mom was too sick to really wrap anything and there were only a few days left until Christmas.  So, she boxed everything up with names on the outside, and I wrapped a stack of unknowns to the best of my ability.  I was so excited to be included in that secret!

Now, my son didn't quite get a stack, and while this was not the first time my son has wrapped a present, it was the first time I got to sit and watch him do it independently, so that's still a pretty big deal.  I'm not sure if he had the same excitement as I did when I was finally allowed to help with present wrapping, but it was still neat to watch him do it all on his own.  And a little sad too; he's growing up a bit too fast.

 As a documentary photographer, all the little details are important to me: the focus in his face, the way he folds the paper or uses mass amounts of tape, even the Christmas tree and our kitchen table in the background.  To me, it all helps tell the story.

And that smile at the end - the one I had to wait through 15 seconds of a stuck out tongue to get to.  But it's a smile and a story worth waiting for.  A story that is happening faster than this Momma might be ready for, but ready or not, the story is being told, so you'd better believe I'll be there watching and catching it.