Littlest's Christening

My Little, Littlest one,

We took you across the state, down to the sea and shore, for your Christening last weekend.
Your family gathered to promise to support and guide you, coming by plane and train and car to be with you. You spent the weekend being passed from welcoming arm to welcoming arm, as we all tried to be good about sharing you. You were - as usual - exceptionally easy-going, happy to give big joyful grins to all, as long as the milk supply was good.

We arrived in the house after our long drive on Friday night, and your Godmama was waiting, so the house was lit up and welcoming as we pulled up the orange clay drive. The sound of the sea was soft that night, but the air was crisp and fresh and I told you that you were home. This is the place that we always return to.

The next morning we took you down to the beach. You loved wandering along the shore in your hug-a-bug, while your brother and sister ran wild along the tide line. You're an outdoor, moving type of girl. You want to be always under the sky and on the go.

Your Nana and Grandpa and Aunty arrived from Queensland and the festivities began. In the afternoon we went into town - your aunty and Godmama and I checked out the op-shop (hello cute little knitted romper and gorgeous velvet top) and then we came home to bake - me your Christening cake and your Godmama your sister's birthday cake.

The great open fireplace was filled with wood (I love to see a man with an axe!) the bottles of wine opened, and cheeses and meats brought out. (For someone who was a vegetation for fifteen years my childbearing years have brought rather embarrassing meat cravings!)

You sat on your grandpa's belly in front of the fire and calmly surveyed all, before being nursed to sleep and put in the bassinet my brothers and I slept in as babies.

The following morning all was activity - your daddy and I iced and decorated your cake, your wonderful Godmama your sister's birthday cake, your sister collected flowers for it, your daddy ran your brother down on the beach, to try to get rid of excess energy, and we all tidied up from the night before and got dressed for the service. You and I were the very last to change and it was so much fun dressing you in your little petticoat and silk slippers.

We tumbled into cars, the christening cake on my lap and drove along the Great Ocean Road to the small church - the same one your brother and sister were christened in - the same beautiful parish your daddy and I were married in - and made our promises to you.

Your sister couldn't resist dancing in the aisle during the service (I had my ballet slippers on, I had to dance!) and later playing with a wind up car. When her cousin arrived she ran across the front of the church and they threw their arms around each other with joy. Your brother and sister and cousin all got to come up and splash you with the water from the font.

As we left, the organist played a piece that your great grandfather had loved - he often used to take services there, particularly at Easter - and that she remembered him asking for the music for.

Returning home there was somehow plenty of food - even though I had put next to no thought into it - it all just appeared - your Godmamma had made a gorgeous pumpkin soup the night before, your nana and grandpa brought down a free range ham and oatcakes, and there were still lashings of cheeses, meats and fruits from the night before that your other nana had bought.

As with your brothers and sisters, after lunch we wandered down to the shore and you fell asleep to the sound of the sea.