Dear family and friends,

Sending you all best wishes for a joyous and blessed holiday season.

This year has been full of ups and downs for us. The year started badly, with a devastating blow; the sudden loss of The Chief, Charlie Swan in mid January. Charlie was a loving father and Bella's No 1 supporter, always encouraging her in life, in her career goals, and luckily for me, in love. His passing has left a huge hole in our lives, but we're thankful to have had so many of you to lean on and to give us the strength and support needed to move slowly forward.

Before this news, I had already accepted an offer to join a growing family practice in Seattle. Bella and I were looking forward to this shift, as we felt it was the right time for us to come "home" after living and working in Chicago since our marriage. Although tempered by grief, our relocation has been an exciting time for us, moving into our "forever home", settling into new jobs and enjoying a constant stream of visitors (sometimes too much of Emmett and Seth though, who are always raiding our fridge!)

Bella and I were both so busy adjusting to our new life and working through grief that we didn't realise she was expecting until a few months into her pregnancy. A Doctor who doesn't even realise when a baby's on the way?! I can assure you that left me wide open to constant ribbing from my father, work colleagues and, not surprisingly, Emmett.

Although positive our "Little Sprout" was going to be a boy we were both surprised and filled with joy when our baby girl, Charlotte Rose, arrived in the very early hours on Sunday 3rd September. She has brought so much joy, light and hope into our lives and we are thankful for the gift of her every single day.

Like all new parents, there have been many sleepless nights whilst trying to settle our little one and times when we've all been totally exhausted - yet those eyes, so much like her mother's and grandfather's just will not close until she's ready – I'm not sure where her stubbornness comes from, but our baby girl has it in spades.

So that has been our year, it has been incredibly full…..of love and loss, of hope and despair, of joy and grief, of light and dark, of hard work and hard times but most overwhelmingly, love has won out. We hope your holiday season will be full of joy, your table full of food (as long as Emmett isn't visiting), and your home full of love and laughter!

With love,

Edward, Bella and Charlie Cullen, xxoo