A naming ceremony is very like a wedding but much more relaxed, and Ramona’s welcome to the world was very laid back indeed. The house was packed with friends and their children as Claire, Bob and I talked about her journey into existence and the way her character has developed over the year she’s been in the world.
It was a great story that began with Bob asking Scott the tiler if he wouldn’t mind finishing the bathroom despite the sounds of an expectant mother. What came next was perhaps the most terrifying, exhilarating and beautiful experiences of Claire and Bob’s life, as they were able to deliver Ramona together, with no complications and without anyone else present – just mother, father and baby. (By then, Scott had made his excuses and left…)
Ramona is Bob and Claire’s second daughter, and as they said, ‘Becoming parents of two children has certainly been an education, but it has been a beautiful year, full of delights, and the challenges are well worth it. To quote David Frost, “Having one child makes you a parent; having two makes you a referee!”
‘Ramona loves spending time with all of her family and friends, but no-one more so than Scarlett. When Ramona watches her big sister, it is obviously with admiration and love. On any given day, you may find the two of them chasing each other around the house; playing tea parties; or just enjoying a bedtime story together. Their absolute favourite games however are making castles out of all the living room furniture.’
One idea I gave them as a way of literally marking the day was of creating a Handbook for Life. You can probably buy them somewhere but The Blue Peter way it is to get a set of A4 sheets of cartridge paper, and some poster paints. Everyone gets their own page where they can make a print of their hand, and write something inspiring or thoughtful.
Kids love it, and the paint washes off easily so it’s not too messy. You then bind the pages together between hard covers and keep the book safe for a couple of decades until Junior is old enough to read it, which could be any time between the ages of 18 and 80, depending on the child…
Along with these photos, Claire sent me this note. “Thank you again for delivering the ceremony for us. We both had a really wonderful day and hope that everyone enjoyed the ceremony as much as we did. The Handbook for Life was a beautiful idea and we plan to continue adding to it so that we can give Ramona a wonderful gift once she is a young woman”.
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