Merry Christmas!
This Christmas was Brady's first Christmas at home. This year was also the first time Brady's Grammy decided to send out Christmas cards of her grandchildren. To Brady it felt like a celebration of all of the grandchildren being together for Christmas! They say there are no small roles and Brady doesn't like to brag, but he got the leading part of baby Jesus in the Nativity themed photo shoot.
What would seem like a big production to most is really just another Sunday gathering for Brady's family. One cousin crying, another child dripping chocolate milk down the front of their back-up change of clothes they had just put on because the first outfit was lost to a bathroom accident, a near naked three-year-old twirling like a princess and another "playing" musical instruments, blissfully unaware of the hustle and bustle going on around him. Two kids smiling in different directions while the others do anything else but pose for the camera and a big cousin practicing her choke hold, arms lovingly locked around a toddler's neck to keep him in the frame. Throwing in a few costumes didn't even seem that foreign to this bunch of tykes who became accustomed to the bright light of a camera flash at an early age. The roll of manger scene "bloopers" is endless but ultimately an (almost) angelic photo was captured. This is the type of holiday family experience that made Brady feel like one of the gang and that he was happy to be home for.
On both sides of the family Brady is always in the middle of this type of beautifully normal chaos and, although he does not actively participate, he is never forgotten by the cousins who surround him, even when Christmas offers so many exciting distractions for a kid. A kiss on the forehead, a moment taken to put his hand in a healthier position, assistance running his hand over a textured part of a book to help him "see"... nine cousins, along with aunts, uncles, great aunts and great uncles, grandparents and great grandparents, all made sure Brady was a part of all the magic of Christmas.
The spirit of Christmas is always the same, no matter where you celebrate, but the comfort of waking up in your own crib, ringing your bells amongst the congregation at Christmas mass and sitting on Santa's lap with no monitor cords holding you back can't be beat. For the first time Brady celebrated an Ellis/Hogan/Gorman/Lang Christmas like it was always meant to be. This year Brady was front and center for the Lynn Christmas parade, donned his matching elf pajamas with cousins and intently watched the "big kid" Yankee swaps get animated with his dad's family. He had his own spin on the obligatory Christmas sweater and was embarrased, as any kid would be, to be toted around by his parents who made Christmas Eve their own ugly sweater Christmas party.
God willing there will be a lifetime of family celebrations and happy holiday events to come, but we are very grateful to have had the opportunity to celebrate Brady's very first Christmas at home, where he belongs, with so many members of our amazing family. Brady reminds us what is important all year, but especially at Christmas where our priorities should lie. He reminds us to keep all the children and families who spent Christmas in the hospital in our thoughts, as which gift to give who and what festive outfit to wear when is not the hardest thing they are facing this year. We are reminded that American military and all who are away from family for one reason or another may need an extra thought or prayer to bring them peace and comfort this season. Brady Robert knows all too well, there is no place like home for the holidays. He wishes you and yours a very merry Christmas and blessings in the new year.
