During a week filled with six rainy days (hello, British August), the seventh day was appropriately biblical as the sunshine poured over Ripley All Saints Church for the baptism of 11 month old twins, H & W.
Shoeless and rocking a comfortable 10.0 on the cuteness scale, the boys were dressed in traditional white blouses and sky blue shorts, with little chubby rolls of baby lusciousness on display for anyone who cared to take a pinch. Both boys have incredible blue eyes and fair hair, and clearly preferred a natural division into 'daddy's boy' and 'mummy's boy' camps.
Mummy and daddy sensibly took a 'one each' approach and grabbed both a twin and a bench in a quiet corner of the churchyard for a few snapshots before the ceremony began. The vicar was apologetic about the 'atmospheric' (aka dark) corner of the church where the Font was located, but managed to punctuate his entertaining narrative with some audience participation, which both parents and children appreciated.
Once the deed was done, the magnificent backdrop of Ripley Castle offered a chance for the guests to let their hair down and enjoy the clement weather. The children were kept busy with games on the lawn whilst the grown ups tested the champagne and readied themselves for a glorious afternoon tea.
It is rare to go to a Christening event these days, but this one was relaxed and enjoyable and made all the more interesting by the presence of not one, but THREE pairs of twins in two generations of the family. Dad's older boys, pictured here with their little brothers made up the second set, and mum and her sister completed the trio.
