"Wake up! Wake up, Dad! Santa came!"

I quickly awoke to my daughter furiously jumping up and down on my bed. My mind, not being all there yet, squinted at her and I quickly came to the realization that... hello, it was Christmas morning.

I rolled out of my empty bed in a pair of boxers, and my hair was sticking in every which direction. I hadn't gotten much sleep last night.

"Merry Christmas, sweetheart," I told her, in my raspy morning voice, and leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"Come on, Dad!" she grabbed my hand and already began pulling me out of my room.

You couldn't help but smile at her enthusiam to open presents. The girl had enough damn toys, yet she was still so excited. I think it was just the whole Christmas spirit thing, I don't know.

"Did you wake up Grandma?"

She shook her head, "Let's wake her up, Daddy!"

I just followed her, as she dragged me along into the guest bedroom. And now I had begun to feel like a little kid again.

I looked down at Addy, and almost as if on cue, we both said, "Merry Christmas!" and we jumped on her bed. Okay, I didn't jump quite as much. I mainly just sat on the end of the bed for a minute, but quickly got up. I didn't want Tim to think I was a complete loon.

"Oh, Merry Christmas, sweetie!" my mom placed her hands onto Addy's face, to give her a big kiss.

It was a... joy, I guess was the word, to watch my mom and Addy together. My mom had always wanted a grandchild, and had constantly told me I would one day be an amazing father. So to be sitting here witnessing the love between grandmother and granddaughter was pretty amazing.


We made our way downstairs and Addy was stunned when she saw underneath the tree.

"Ohymgod, Daddy, look!" she pointed to a huge box sitting right beside the tree, and I smiled at her.

"She's just like you were," I saw my mom's eyes glowing.

She was happy to be here on Christmas, I knew that. She had done this once for me, on Addy's first Christmas and that was all. So I know she appreciated being here.

"You must have been very good this year!" I told her, "Look at all those!"

Her face was lit up with surprise and joy, "Can I open them?!"

We all just chuckled at her excitement.

"Of course you can," I told her and then suddenly remembered I had forgotten something. "Wait!" I ran off into the other room and grabbed the video camera.

"Okay... now, you can open them," I hit the record button and watched her rip open her gifts.

"Wow!"

"Say hi to the camera!" I waved at her, and she gave me a big grin and waved.

"Say Merry Christmas!" I told her and she did as told, with a huge smile on her face. I set the camera down on the table and kept it recording so I could over and sit next to Addy to help her open some gifts.

I leaned over and got next to her and smiled and waved at the camera. Yes, I was always one to steal the spotlight, even on my homevideos. I laughed to myself.

"Merry Christmas!"