Going to church with a toddler

On Sunday, I realized something very important. Going to church with a baby is EASY. They sleep. Sometimes they coo or wiggle, but they generally sleep. On Sunday, I watched some fairly new parents snuggle with their baby during mass; he was quiet and generally snoozed (which is not a reflection on the priest's homily, I hope). Annika, on the other hand, was intent on eating a collection envelope, patting the leg of the person next to us, flirting with the woman behind us, singing at the top of her lungs (when no one else was singing), and being a general wiggle worm. Mid way through mass, we made the transition to the cry room, where we found another mom and toddler. Her little guy, just like Annika, was chatty, wiggly, and busy. It was then that I realized when Annika was a baby, I could peacefully listen to the homily and reflect. Now I'm lucky to catch every 5th word and the general idea of the homily. I had to laugh at the change in church experience as Annika has aged. Fortunately she hasn't gotten to the stage that she resists going to church.... I'm sure that'll be here before we know it.