church babies

So, both my husband and I work for the Catholic Church (wait, don't go running for the hills, we're not creepy about it, it's really just a way to hang out and teach kids without having to get a teaching degree...) And because of this we, obviously, spend a great deal of time at our respective churches. Consequently, so do our babies.

These babies (and, by proxy, us) have been so blessed and anticpated and taken care of by these two amazing communities. The saying 'it takes a village' is beyond true in our case. Before the babies were born I had help from our families in setting up whenever I had class. My parents volunteered to chaperones events and on trips so I wouldn't have to go (even though I usually really enjoy it). Since the babies have arrived we've been inundated with well wishes.

We didn't cook the first month the girls were alive. People at both parishes organized meals for us, plus our fellow youth ministers at other parishes brought food. What an amazing thing. It meant we didn't have to resort to cereal and toast, but could have a great meal of cowboy casserole and spend time with our babies.

Gift-wise, it was almost embarassing. People are so generous. We have so many lovely soft blankets, adorable outfits (Randy and I haven't needed to buy anything), books - shelves of them already, and everything else we could want or need for our babies.

Everyday I give thanks to God for these amazing parish families we have been gifted with. Families who offer to watch the girls for an evening, high schol girls offering to babysit when we need it, offers of help in any way shape and form.

Yes, whenever we go to church we draw a croud, but I feel it's only proper thank you. I let these babies be passed around. I hand them over to our priests to give myeslf a free moment. I let the girls of our parish coo over them. I take them to committee meetings, mass, class. Anything and everything. They can't be pastors' kids b/c we're catholic, but they're the next best thing.

And it has made our first three months with the girls wonderful. I think because they're out so much (thinking about the past two week - these little babies are only home 2-3 nights/week) they get tired and they get to meet all kinds of new people and be out in groups of people and since they don't want to miss anything they tend to stay up and not really nap.

We somehow got lucky and have managed to sleep-train them without crying it out all on our own. Now, I know things are liable to change, but for almost two months now they've slept 5-6 hours a night together. We feed them around 11 p.m., swaddle them and put them in the crib. Within 10 minutes they're asleep and they stay that way until 6 or so, depending on when exactly we put them down. I know that's unusual but it is greatly apperciated.

These silly babies are so wonderful. And we get to show them off to Grandma and Grandpa Hansen tonight for a fish fry! The girls' first Wisconsin fish fry! Fun times!