All babies are special but there is something about a Christmas baby. When Christians are focused on the celebration of the birth of a Saviour, to be eagerly awaiting the birth of a baby within the family adds another layer to this time of remembrance and celebration.
Twice, we've experienced almost-Christmas-Day babies.
Eighteen years ago our family was eagerly awaiting the birth of our first grandchild (and niece to her then-young uncles). That baby wasn't born until three days after Christmas, yet I suspect that on that Christmas Day in 2006 her mother had a lot of sympathy for Mary and her journey to Bethlehem while heavy with child.
And now here we are, three days before Christmas and our family has welcomed another granddaughter. She kept us waiting, but we would all agree that she was worth the wait!
Today, DH and I, having officially finished work last week (well for DH as much as is possible), and having done as much of the cleaning and decorating and cooking and preparing for Christmas as allowed us to have a "free" day, made the journey to meet our precious granddaughter.
The sweet, sweet baby sweetness of her. The newness of life. How precious the cuddles.
Her family have only in the last week moved back into their recently renovated house. It's not completely finished, yet even in that state what a contrast to where our Saviour was born.
As we look forward to celebrating the birth of Christ, these precious moments add greater depth to our understanding. We remember the shepherds who visited the Babe ... the Child who was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger ... those who expectantly awaited His birth. And as we hold our almost-Christmas baby we marvel that the God of the universe would come to earth as a Babe. It's almost too much for us to fathom. Despite the wonder of new life, a babe is helpless, dependent on others. And yet ... yet God chose Jesus' mother and stepfather and was willing to place His Son into their keeping ... just as He has placed this precious child into the keeping of her parents and wider family.
This year we have been blessed with the addition of three precious granddaughters to the family. This is the first time three babies have been born in the same calendar year, although two years ago, their older siblings were also born within a twelve-month period and in the same order. Our responsibility as parents and grandparents is great.
But speaking of siblings: someone is definitely one of the proudest big brothers ever (and also quite clever in having predicted right from the onset that he was getting a baby sister):
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