Christening

Our priest, Josefin G Andersson, Mats, Sara, Filippa Lindström, Ulrika & Johan Ottosson
Alice, Poppy and Nils

A couple of weeks ago it was finally time for the christening of Poppy. Most common in Sweden is to do it when the baby is about 3-4 months old, but the variation is big so it was not strange at all that Poppy was almost 7 months old. One important thing for me though was that I wanted her to be able to wear the dress that Alice wore 12 years ago. The girls who sewed my wedding dress made christening gowns for Alice & Nils when it was time for that.

Poppy surrounded by some of her cousins and siblings.
From left Ingrid, Harald, Nils, Alice, Theodor, Erik, Carl & Anna

We wanted to make the ceremony simple and similar to the one we had for the big kids. That way they could relive and understand how it was when they were baptised. Same church, same hymns, and I read the same poem. But the priest was new, there were many cousins this time (who were too young to attend last time) and of course Nils could assist the priest with pouring the baptismal water and Alice wiped Poppy's head when she was done. Also cousin Anna sang a beautiful song and her brother Erik assisted her on the guitar. 

It was a wonderful little ceremony with just our closest families + my cousin and his family who lives here in Lund. I also have a cousin's daughter who has moved to Lund to study medicine and she joined us too.

After the ceremony in Lund Cathedral we had a photo session where Poppy posed with almost everyone present. When she finally came to my mother she was quite tired and needed a break. The look she gives my father is so funny. 

My sister Filippa, one of Poppy's Godmothers

Mats' sister Ulrika and her husband Johan

Poppy's Godparents

Mats' parents Sven & Gertrud

My parents Margit & Anders

After the ceremony we walked the short distance to the Grand Hotel where a nice lunch was waiting for us. Here follow some pictures:

Anna & Theodor

Harald & Carl

Ingrid & Erik

Astrid & Nils

Alice & Gösta

Theodor & Alice

Agda

Anders & Ulrika

Karin & Johan

Martin & Filippa

  

Karin with Birgit, Poppy and me

Karin is married to my cousin Martin and they moved to Lund while we were in California. Their third child, Birgit, was born three weeks after Poppy. So wonderful to have family near by and such a lovely coincidence that they had a child born so close to Poppy.