It Takes a Village

You know that old adage, 'It takes a village to raise a child'?  It really, really does.  And I'm so lucky that I have my own "village" of people around me to help out.

Scott and I have a group of friends that Scott grew up with.  They all went to high school together and have remained friends pretty much for most of their lives.  Interestingly enough, just about all of us were married within two years of each other (what a whirlwind that was!), but Scott and I are the only ones out of this group who have kids.  He and I often talk about who is going to be next, who wants kids and who doesn't, who would be good parents or fun parents or strict parents.

When we found out we were pregnant with Bailey, and then again with number two, I had a quick moment of panic, wondering if our friends would "abandon" us or want to hang out less because we have kids and they don't.  There was that millisecond where I thought, Crap, now everyone's going to disappear.  Turns out, they haven't.  We don't always get together very often (we're adults--we have jobs and spouses and other friends and pets who keep us busy a lot of the time) but it's always nice when we do.  And I love that, when we do get together, Bailey is almost always included.  Halloween parties, Christmas parties, football at our house on Sundays...it's nice.

But there are often times when Scott and I go out, either with friends or just the two of us, where it's really not conducive to tote around a toddler.  In these instances, I know that we'll always have someone kind enough to take Bailey for a few hours at a moment's notice.  Just a few weeks ago, Scott and I were planning a night out with friends of ours from college who have a baby a year younger than Bailey.  They ended up having to cancel because they couldn't find someone to watch their daughter and I thought, Thank God for my village.  Corny, I know.  But I really, really am blessed to have the people that I have around me.

My mom and dad have taken Bailey more times than you can imagine and, I'll admit, on more than one occasion I texted my mom that morning and asked if she could stay the night.  In fact, every other Thursday my parents take not only Bailey, but my two nieces as well, to their house for a sleepover.  It gives us parents a welcome break, the girls have a blast, and they drop them all off again Friday evening.  Bailey has had a sleepover at my sister and brother-in-law's house quite a few times.  And Scott's parents have also taken her overnight and would watch her for us in a second if we asked them to.  There are very, very few people who I trust with my children.  Bailey is almost two and a half years old now, and we've never hired a babysitter.  Granted, we've never had to because we've gotten so lucky with our family, but I wouldn't hire a sitter even if I had no other options (which has never happened before, luckily).

Same thing when Bailey gets sick.  In fact, just yesterday I needed to get her in to see the doctor.  I had been emailing back and forth with Scott all morning trying to figure out when he could get home so I could leave the daycare kids with him and take her to her appointment.  My mom texted me offering to take Bailey in for us, and she did.  And it's not the first time she has, either.  I rely on my parents more than I care to admit, I think (obviously).  If Bailey is sick, my mom is the first person I go to for help.  When she had Roseola with a high fever at 7 months old and had been screaming bloody murder all night, we didn't know what the hell was happening, so I called my mom...at 3 in the morning.  She was at my house in minutes and went with us to the emergency room, then along to the doctor's office when the ER docs couldn't diagnose her.  When Bailey spent the first 3 months of her life alternating between sleeping for 20 minutes and screaming like a psycho for an hour, my mom and dad took turns holding her so I could take a break.

Even now, with a second baby coming in 3 months, I'm not the slightest bit worried about what I'll do when I go into labor.  I know that someone will come and take care of Bailey while Scott and I are in the hospital, and I know that my mom will come and be in the delivery room with us.  I don't have to worry about a thing in that respect, and it's wonderful to know that my daughter will be taken care of.  Normally, I'd be a wreck about having to leave her overnight for 2 nights.

I honestly don't know how people who aren't close with their family do it.  I just don't.  Scott and I have been lucky all our lives to have the families that we do, and I don't know what we would do without them.  It really does take a village, and I'm so lucky to have mine.