belgianwaffle

Middle Child

Leaving on a Jet Plane


Posted in: Middle Child, Princess, Travel, Twins, Youngest Child

Yes, indeed we are off to Ireland for Christmas this afternoon with our mountain of luggage, as yet unpacked. As it happens, I do know when I’Â’ll be back again. We will return to the kingdom of the Belgians on January 4 and I expect updates, if any, to be few and far between until then. Pause here to laugh cruelly at the duration of American holidays as opposed to European ones.

In the interim, I wish you all a very happy Christmas and leave you with a Christmas photo. Note the look of fear on the boysÂ’ faces.

Comments

poggle
on 17 December 2005 at 10:06
Note the evil smile on the face of the Princess … oooh dear.

kristin (Homepage) on 17 December 2005 at 12:17 I agree with pog — not only the fear on the boys’ face, but the gleeful mischievousness on the princess. have lovely hols, waffley.

Friar Tuck
on 17 December 2005 at 16:21
They do have that “deer in the headlights” look about them.

Lilo
on 18 December 2005 at 11:32
I think your boys look like they’re trying to keep very, very still.
Happy Christmas Ms Waffle x

jackdalton
on 18 December 2005 at 18:12
‘Now if I just knock these together…’ thought Princess. But then she realised there was a camera present. So she smiled her big smile and waited for a better, less camera-prone moment.
🙂
Have a Happy Christmas, ‘waf and co.

Minkleberry
on 19 December 2005 at 07:37
Those pregnancy hormones have really kicked in. This piccie’s got me wailing. So adoreable!

Bobble
on 21 December 2005 at 11:07
Have a fabulous natale all of you – hope my card arrived?!

belgianwaffle
on 09 January 2006 at 10:20
Thank you all very much – have been poor at replying to comments recently but all is now restored to normal…

Christening


Posted in: Cork, Family, Ireland, Middle Child, Princess, Twins, Youngest Child

My sons will be baptised in Cork over Christmas thus ensuring for my mother a lifetime of retrieving ecclesiastical paperwork for her grandchildren.

We’re hoping to be more prepared than we were for the PrincessÂ’’s christening. We didn’Â’t know that you needed a candle.  When the crucial moment arrived, I hissed at my aunt, ““You’Â’re very religious, why didn’Â’t you tell us we needed a candle?””  ““I thought you knew”,” she hissed
back. Her highness was christened under a night light retrieved from a side altar. Your baptismal candle is supposed to enjoy further outings at your communion and confirmation.  That’Â’s probably why they donÂ’t use night lights. We knew that she needed a white garment alright and proudly produced a white cot blanket.  We were somewhat abashed to see that the little overachiever being christened at the same time as the Princess had an elaborate lacy number with her name embroidered on it.  It was probably vomit free too.

My religious aunt is to be godmother to Daniel. I phoned her the other day to confirm dates
and times and she told me tartly that she has purchased two christening candles. Now, who will buy lacy garments and embroider their names on them?

Comments

Manboobs

on 09 December 2005 at 15:22

Dirty Nappy; Clean Soul. Congratulations

Minkleberry

on 09 December 2005 at 19:13

Bobble, that’s such a relief- my poor Nanny has been so worried about mine and my sisters’ eternity in limbo.

Friar Tuck

on 09 December 2005 at 19:28

Minkle, only infants get a pass. Unless you are a precocious two year-old, your Nanny should continue worrying, not about Limbo, but worse!  But back to the baptismal garment, I know someone who makes their living selling handmade ones. It’s too late for flapjack and pancake, but I can put you in touch for any subsequent progeny.

kristin

(Homepage)

on 09 December 2005 at 23:06

My daughter was christened in a haze of high, high episcopalian incense, and my poor baptist mother still hasn’t recovered. She only stood the christening dress because lucy looked so adorable in it, but once the recitation of the saints started, she looked very pale. the event was particularly memorable because my sister’s hair caught fire from the candle she was holding during the procession to the font. the mom of the other baby who was being baptised that day offered to give us the videotape of kera on fire, for posterity. i think she was just jealous that lucy was such a cutie.

beachhutman

on 11 December 2005 at 10:36

If you think THAT’s a palaver, wait for first communions !

belgianwaffle

on 14 December 2005 at 09:13

Bob, Minks, MB, aren’t you glad that we have FT to sort these things out for us? FT, start your own blog in the new year or face dire consequences.
Kristin, that’s hilarious, superb story.
BHM, I know, I know.

Corrections and Clarifications


Posted in: Middle Child, Siblings, Twins, Youngest Child

“Dear sibling,

Either you misunderstood me or are being liberal with the truth for literary purposes. If it’s the latter fine (never let the truth interfere with a good story) – if it’s the former I think you should remember I said I would give them 5 minutes of crying before I pick them up – usually babies cry more when I hold them. 5 minutes or until I get frustrated with Sudoku!

Anyway if they know what’s good for them they will not get into a battle of wills with me (for I never lose such battles).”[Editor’s note: this is, in fact, correct].

Comments

KateEvans

on 14 December 2005 at 16:36

This is precisely why I never write stuff about my brother on my blog.

belgianwaffle

on 15 December 2005 at 12:27

Siblings. Blah.

Tough School


Posted in: Middle Child, Siblings, Twins, Youngest Child

My sister has volunteered to babysit while we’Â’re in Cork.

“Just so long as you don’t expect me to pick them up when they cry”.

Comments

giftofthegab

on 08 December 2005 at 19:47

sure, cos like being the only adult alone in a room with 2 screaming babies is so much better than having to pick them up.

formerfilmexpert

on 08 December 2005 at 19:57

well they must stop crying eventually!

belgianwaffle

on 09 December 2005 at 07:58

Sez, Gotg, please note corrections and clarifications.

Sleeping Patterns


Posted in: Middle Child, Mr. Waffle, Twins, Youngest Child

Michael will only sleep in a parentÂ’’s arms, preferably mine.  Ideally he likes to sleep with his little gums clenched to my breast.  I feel like an enormous soother.  Last night he wailed until brought into bed with us.  Mr. Waffle had earlier been complaining that the bed was clammy (I refuse to change the sheets more than once a week. Who am I? Jackie Kennedy?*  Did baby vomit ever hurt anyone?) ““Obviously, Michael doesn’Â’t find it clammy,” ” I said. ““HeÂ’’s no judge,”” retorted my loving spouse, ““10 weeks ago he was floating around in amniotic fluid”.”

Daniel loves the mobile that hangs over the cot and whenever it is turned on he laughs with delight.  He tends to wake up once or twice a night, eat and go back to sleep.  One night when I
went to rescue a wailing Michael from the cot (What am I doing here? Take me to the clammy bed this instant! WhereÂ’s my enormous dummy?), I noticed that Daniel was wide awake as well
and instead of wailing he was smiling benignly up at the cot mobile.  Clearly, he’Â’s an easy to please middle child.

* My mother says that she had her sheets changed twice a day.  Well, wouldn’t you, if you were married to JFK?

Comments

Bobble

on 07 December 2005 at 10:28

Waffly you never cease to amaze. If your hubby thinks you are the inimitable Jackie-O it’s time to ask for a bigger dress / spa / sunglasses allowance x

giftofthegab

on 07 December 2005 at 19:17

twice a day????

kristin

(Homepage)

on 08 December 2005 at 02:25

i heard that was when she was with Ari. Which, really, just echoes your point, Waffley, about wouldn’t you want to change the sheets if you were married to jfk — well, all the more so if you’re married to an extremely small, extremely wrinkly greek shipping magnate.

Beth

(Homepage)

on 08 December 2005 at 14:40

I don’t know what you are talking about, my sheets are pristine. The duvet, however, is covered in vomit. I wonder what Jackie O’s policy on duvets was?

belgianwaffle

on 08 December 2005 at 15:11

Beth, I am wild with envy. Cannot say what the policy on duvets was..
Kristin, can’t help feeling that JFK was more likely to have been romping about in the marital bed with third parties, whatcha reckon?
GOTG, see previous.
Bobble, you are so kind, I think this is an outstanding suggestion.
Teverde, SECOND chicken little? You deserve danger money.

beachhutman

on 08 December 2005 at 21:58

Now on THIS one I’m with Mr W.

belgianwaffle

on 09 December 2005 at 08:15

Hmm, what’s everybody’s problem with clammy?

All quiet on the home front


Posted in: Middle Child, Mr. Waffle, Princess, Twins, Youngest Child

The boys were 2 months old yesterday. They weigh 5.3 and 4 kilos respectively. Daniel only woke up once last night. Michael stayed awake all night muttering darkly about a cold his father has given him. We have received in the post two very nice tops for the boys and a blank card. Was it you? Did you send us these tops?

It snowed over the weekend. The Princess was entranced. Her father took her to the circus which was ok but not as exciting as the light wand thingy L’s father bought her.

I would like to second Negrito’s review of the Belga Queen and add that seeing these toilets for the first time when you are nine months pregnant is enough to give you heart failure.

Comments

Minkleberry

on 28 November 2005 at 17:42

happy 2 months boys! 0
Sweetie(s) given ???

JoJo

on 28 November 2005 at 20:58

would it be really awful of me to claim responsibility for those tops, making myself look, simultaneously, like an amazingly generous, giving woman and a fashion guru for 2-month old boys?
It would?
Damn. 0
Sweetie(s) given ???

belgianwaffle

on 29 November 2005 at 15:49

FT, wise. Ta Minks. Why, Jojo, thank you for your tasteful gift. 0
Sweetie(s) given ???

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