White noise I brought my girls home yesterday afternoon from the hospital. The house that seemed very empty and serene the day before suddenly came to life but age has certainly brought more self-belief in handling small bundles of joy. She did well last night sleeping from 1 until 5am in her new room. Although when White Noise is playing on ones iPod instead of White Lies you know life has turned a sharp corner. I recommend Ocean Sounds by the way if you are looking for a recommendation.

I popped into Government House today to register the birth. The Bermudian authorities will issue the birth certificate but her Bermudian association ends there. Bermudians are very fussy to whom they give status to. Even a foreigner who marries a Bermudian has to wait 10 (Ten) years for citizenship and 7 of those years have to be lived on the island, with the last two concurrent. A divorce during that 10 years leaves the non-Bermudian legally with nothing. Being British gives you no advantages at all here, and although the local regiment would probably love to have her, our daughter will have no other privileges being born here apart from a pretty cool story to tell in the playground.

Perversely but not surprisingly Bermudians can apply for a UK passport at birth, get full United Kingdom and European citizenship immediately they get the passport and live, work, drive, vote and buy any property they wish.

So despite the fact that this island is actually governed by the British Government and the Governor and Commander in Chief resides down the road, we have to apply to the British Embassy in Washington DC for little-un's passport. Crazy.  ¶ 20:45