There are few things in this life more special than celebrating your first Christmas as a new parent.  For all the joy and excitement that comes with the holiday throughout childhood…bringing your own child into the experience trumps it all.

Hudson was nine months old when we celebrated his first Christmas.  I honestly thought my head was going to explode with anticipation.  I couldn’t wait for monogrammed stockings and letters to Santa.  Gingerbread houses and holiday movies curled up in bed.  The weeks leading up to Christmas were just amazing!  Actual Christmas, however, was a bit of a train wreck!  Hudson cried for four of the eight hours it took us to drive to South Western Ontario.  Then he got a terrible cold that essentially left us all sleepless and exhausted for three nights straight.  Hudson and I actually stayed up on the couch next to the Christmas tree for most of Christmas Eve so that his endless whimpering wouldn’t keep the rest of the house up!  Tangible proof that even Christmas spirit doesn’t remove the heartbreak and misery of a congested baby!

Nonetheless, Christmas morning rolled around and we smiled.  We enjoyed watching our baby play with the boxes and ribbons instead of all his new toys.  We sat around the kitchen table together with family and we rejoiced.  We rejoiced in a holiday spent all together…we rejoiced in a holiday that – despite our fever ridden baby – was spent healthy.  We rejoiced over the fact that there was one more stocking hanging on the mantel.

We rejoiced.

Now that I’m going on my fourth Christmas as a parent, I can say that each and every holiday gets better and better.  Our following Christmas brought us a baby girl…and each one after that has just brought more joy…more love…more excitement.  It turns out that it’s not just the magic of Christmas…but the magic of children that brings everything to life.  Having said that though, there is still something so special about that very first holiday.  That very first morning waking up with your very own family by your side…

Lindsay and Brad are truly one of the most beautiful couples you’ll ever meet.  Both inside and out.  They also happen to be very near and dear to my heart as we’ve traveled an immensely exciting road together!  And part of that road included an afternoon spent in Brockville meeting their beautiful baby boy!  With the snow falling outside and their Christmas tree having just been delivered…I could feel the anticipation of that first Christmas morning together.  Feeling so blessed…so loved…so grateful.

And with a little face like this in their arms…it can only be pure bliss.

Lindsay and Brad, Merry Christmas!  May your holiday be one that you will always remember.  May every Christmas morning after that be even better than the one before.  And may these images of your incredible family always remind of you of the immense joy in your hearts during this special time in your lives…

Thank you for including me all over again!

xoxo