Reid did pretty well at Christmas time. We were pleased to be able to host lots and lots of friends and family all through the holiday season, and Reid faced changing schedules, lots of new folks and a near constant stream of toys, books and other amusements with aplomb.

As you can see above, Christmas morning saw Reid tear into his duties as primary un-wrapper of gifts. Christmastime is really a bell curve, with the morning of the 25th at the top. The slow beginning to the season, exchanging gifts with some friends a little early, gave Reid solid training on the unwrapping. By 12/25 he was a certified expert at the package-attack.

Nothing was a miss this year. Reid received a variety of gifts, including a Leap Frog shopping cart full of scan-able groceries. Reid scanned his head, treating the scanner like a telephone, which he also does with...everything else, including bananas, remote controls and the dog. The little shopping cart gives a satisfying beep when you scan something, even your head.

Reid also received a big blue gigantic floor pillow (sort of the modern successor to the tiny-pellet-leaking bean bag of my youth) which you can see in the background of the picture above. Also received by the little man was a variety of little-people products, including a playground and a carwash. He also received a band in a box.

The band in a box isn't exactly a band, just a wide variety of very, very loud instruments. K and I are passing the blame for who thought this would be a good idea, but I know in truth that I selected the gift, but can only say that I was certain we would lose most if not all of the parts within a week or two.

He loves it. The cymbals crash, the clacker smacks, the knocker knocks, the triangle clangs and the tambourine makes the whole thing sound like a cascading kitchen-disaster. Reid, K and I will all grab instruments and go to town, playing no particular song for longer than anyone should be forced to listen. But the smile on his face is beautiful music.