Brian Dowling said he feels "so blessed" as he and his husband Arthur Gourounlian celebrated their first Christmas as parents.
The Big Brother star, 44, took to Instagram to share a series of family snaps and wish his followers a happy Christmas as he opened up about his fatherhood journey, after welcoming daughter Blake in September.
In the first picture, Brian and 42-year-old Arthur beamed for the camera as they wore matching festive pyjamas with their three-month-old daughter who Arthur cradled in his arms.
The family opted for red and blue pyjamas as they stood in front of their beautiful Christmas tree.
They were then joined by Brian’s younger sister Aoife, who acted as the couple's surrogate, and Arthur's mum, Maria.
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE. Christmas 2022, we have this.
"To think, this time last year, when we all posed for our annual Christmas Eve pic, Blake was already growing in @effidy_dowling_ belly," he wrote in the caption.
"It had only been less than a week since the embryo transfer. As @gourounlian & I got our pose on, we hoped and HOPED that this year our bundle of joy would be posing alongside us.
"Proving you never know what is going on behind anyone’s smile."
Gushing over his newborn, Brian said that Blake is certainly "not camera shy".
He added: "She loves watching herself, especially in the mirror. All she does is laugh.
"We feel so blessed this year that we can share our joy with both our families Christmas is all about family. This time of year can also be a sad and emotional time for many people.
"Whether it’s through loss or difficult family situations, all anyone can do is their best. Don’t let the pressures of Christmas or social media get to you."
Speaking about his own grief, Brian said: "At Christmas, I particularly mourn the loss of my mother, like most of us do that have lost loved ones, let’s cherish them in all the joy that Christmas brings.
"So from The Dowling Gourounlian household Merry Merry Christmas and yes, that is our glorious glittered red star falling from the tree."
"Our two elves, Dolly & Beau, has a lot to answer for," Brian joked.
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