Christening our last baby

Last updated on November 19th, 2023 at 12:50 pm

I love a good Christening don’t you? Friends and family all gathered together for a happy occasion and celebrating a baby!

However, there are many things that make big occasions like this hard as an expat. The list can be endless if we are talking about emotional side of not having all your extended family around you. I never gave it a second thought about falling in love and moving across the world to be with my husband before kids.

Now, having three kids of my own, there are new levels of being an expat that I didn’t think about. We are a family made up of three countries: USA, Ireland, and UK. Therefore when it comes to having Christmas, Birthdays, Births, Christenings, and Weddings we have to accept that most of these celebrations have to be made without our extended family.

We celebrated baby boy’s christening at the start of summer. We had a big party to celebrate his special day with our friends and family. I was so grateful that this time my mom could fly over and witness his christening too. BABY O had all three of his grandparents presents and my dad watching from above to watch him get baptised. Whilst I wish that Mr P, aunts, uncles, and cousins could have came from Ireland and that my siblings, their families and my aunts and uncles and cousins could have came from America, I am grateful we had at least grandparents there.

We have many friends that are like family who have stepped in as Godparents too. These are the friends we see just as much as we would family and that have been there year after year to make memories and adventures with us.

THE VENUE:

TIP: Choose somewhere that means something to you.

BABY O was christened in the older kid’s school church as he will soon (believe it or not) be following them to this very school. As I held him in front of everyone, I thought how very special celebrations like a Christening really are. The love and support the people in front of me have given us has been amazing. This room is full of people to watch over and love the newest family addition too. How lucky is he?

Life comes with a lot of challenges and drama at times. Mother Nature can be cruel. Illnesses can be cruel. Bad luck can strike. But it’s these moments that I push all my fears aside and hold my family close and feel so grateful for my babies. Each child has changed me for the better. Each child is my rock in different ways when I need them. Without my three little amigos, I don’t know where or who I would be!

THE OUTFIT:

My mother is very talented with a sewing machine and each child has been made a gown or romper for their Christening made out of my own wedding dress. I kept the top to my dress and the princess style skirt now is three christening outfits. I never thought I would have three babies and I was so glad that my mom kept all the scraps just in case and we just had enough to make BABY O his romper solely out of it.

Not only did he look handsome as ever but it melted my heart that my dress doesn’t just sit in the back of the closet collecting dust. I love that they all have worn it to be baptized in it.

THE PARTY:

TIP: Make it as big or little as you want but only choose those that fill your heart with joy and your life with happiness.

We picked a venue close to the church to make it easy for guests driving from out of town and close to our home. I wanted the party to be about the kids having fun and the adults getting to relax so we had entertainment in a separate room which meant the hot food came out for the adults to eat in peace while the kids sang and danced. Then the kids ate afterwards. It worked out perfectly. It was one of the least stressful parties with kids I have been to and I got to eat hot food. HOORAY!

It’s a special day I won’t forget as is all my kid’s christening. It’s more than just getting baptized and becoming part of a church and a community and GOD. So I had to document it here.

CHECK OUT MISSY MOO’S CHRISTENING GOWN HERE

(excuse the old grainy photos this was five years ago, wow how cameras have come along)