Although it seems that Alec Baldwin never quite left the spotlight, he was making headlines back when he split from actress Kim Basinger. In 2002, the then-couple divorced, and Alec struggled with maintaining a relationship with his young daughter, 7-year-old Ireland.

These days, though, things have changed for the actor and ultimate family man. In 2012, he married Hilaria Thomas, a yoga instructor, after a relatively short courtship. To everyone’s surprise, the couple went on to have four children together, and by all accounts, Alec and Hilaria are happily wedded with no end in sight.

And if it wasn’t surprising enough to longtime fans of the actor that he’s married to someone a bit younger and more worldly (Hilaria is originally from Mallorca, Spain), he’s also a really hands-on dad. Fans who knew about Alec back when he left a rude voicemail for his then-tween daughter were a bit flabbergasted by his behavior. These days, though, the only drama that happens to the Baldwins is on set at SNL and other projects the actor is working on.

At home, Alec and Hilaria have a little haven all their own, filled with their adorable gaggle of tots, Alec’s now-grown daughter, and even some unfamiliar faces. Here are 20 little-known details about the family.

20 His Courtship With Hilaria Was Slow

In interviews about her relationship with Alec, Hilaria admitted that she was a bit surprised by him at first. The yoga instructor explained that although Alec asked her out the first time they met, he took things slow from the get-go. He didn’t even kiss her until they’d been seeing each other for six weeks! And given Alec’s reputation in the entertainment industry for being rather forward with the ladies, Hilaria wasn’t the only one surprised by this! It’s adorable, though, and Alec has similarly been quoted as saying that he knew he was ready for a serious commitment with Hilaria, so he was okay with taking things at a snail’s pace.

19 Alec Was 'Out Of' His Wife’s World

When the two met, Hilaria says Alec was “out of my world” in that she didn’t know who he was or that he was even that famous. Just like any other woman dating a new guy, she would tell her girlfriends about their dates (including the lack of a good-night kiss for weeks!). She never really thought about his star power at that point, and instead focused on growing their relationship. These days, of course, she visits Alec on set (with kids in tow sometimes) and has fully embraced being in his spotlight. Then again, she doesn’t exactly need his reputation, given her own professional one!

18 Alec And Hilaria Have A Large Age Gap

Critics tittered a bit when Alec and Hilaria first stepped out together. After all, they’re 25 years apart, and with Alec’s dating history, people didn’t know whether to take their pairing seriously. But after less than a year of dating (they got together in August of 2011), they were married, and fans and critics alike were pretty surprised. Given the way Alec’s marriage with his ex Kim Basinger ended, no one really had high hopes for this union. But the pair began welcoming their children in quick succession, proving that age is just a number in so many star-studded cases.

17 Introductions Were Formal

Alec and Hilaria have a pretty cute first meeting story, although that’s fairly common in Hollywood. Hilaria was at a restaurant when Alec approached her, saying he just felt drawn to her. He handed her his business card—he’s stated he has a policy of not asking a woman for her phone number—and she called him up. Days later, they had their first date, and things took off from there. When asked about their meeting, Alec has noted he felt ready to have a serious relationship, so when he found out that Hilaria wanted a commitment and marriage, he was okay with that!

16 The Kiddos Get Mom-Dad Date Nights

With four children so close in age—their births spanned just over five years—you might wonder how Alec and Hilaria manage to spend one-on-one time with them both. Well, thanks to the nanny we mentioned earlier, and perhaps other hired help, mom and dad typically take the kiddos out separately for fun outings. They’ve shared photos of them alone with Carmen, the oldest, such as in this pic where they’re celebrating her first day of kindergarten. It was the evening before, Hilaria wrote on IG, and they were prepping together and memorializing the moment! No word on how they manage outings with the boys—who are closer in age, born in 2015, 2016, and 2018—but we’d expect more of the same!

15 Mom & Dad Named Their Tribe

Alluding to the fact that people criticize the Baldwins for having four kiddos in close succession, Hilaria and her hubby have nicknamed their brood “the Baldwinitos.” It’s not only adorably bilingual, just like their kiddos, but it’s a tongue-in-cheek reference to what the media says about the pair popping about babies. Of course, once you see how Hilaria and Alec both dote on their kiddos, you’ll realize that the nickname is nothing but affectionate. The two are clearly taken by their tribe and are doing a fantastic job letting their little ones live a normal life. Of course, the kids will soon learn that dad is famous, but their upbringing is delightfully ordinary.

14 They Have The 'Baldwin Face'

In many of the photographs Hilaria shares of Carmen, her eldest child and so far only daughter, Carmen’s making what the little girl calls “the Baldwin face.” By all appearances, “the face” is a cross between a serious gaze and pursed duck lips, but either way, it’s hilarious that Carmen recognizes it as the face all the Baldwin guys make. And she’s not the only one who mimics it — so do her brothers, which makes them look even more like miniatures of dad Alec! Sure, the kids may be blonde, but you can’t mistake that look for any other celeb.

13 Hilaria's Not Shy About Nursing

She’s super into health and fitness, so it follows that Hilaria would also be a mom who’s passionate about breastfeeding. And she’s shared plenty of nursing selfies on her IG feed, which is both inspiring and super normalizing for nursing mamas everywhere. After all, seeing our favorite stars and celebs nursing their babies only helps other moms feel more confident about nursing anywhere and everywhere they need to. Which may have been Hilaria’s goal, if we’re being honest, but it’s also helpful that she’s showing the unabashedly real parts of parenthood that maybe aren’t so photogenic, too. Besides, her babies are super cute!

12 Hilaria Is Hilarious, Too!

Hilaria may be married to a comedian, but that doesn’t mean Alec is the only funny one in the household. Hilaria makes plenty of her own hilarious jokes on IG and on her mommy podcast. She also likes to share funny moments that happen at home, like this one where Romeo is begging for his sister Carmen’s food — just like the puppies are doing. Plus, can you see that the dogs are wearing diapers, and one’s wearing a little onesie? So they’re probably wearing the diapers for a reason, but it’s a funny snapshot in Hilaria’s daily life, regardless.

11 The Kids Co-Sleep With Mom & Dad

If you thought that Alec seemed a bit stuffy, or maybe thought that his former infamy over the phone call to Ireland back in the day was how he operated all the time, here’s some refreshing news. Not only does the couple stay hands-on and super invested in their kiddos, but they also co-sleep. Hilaria’s IG feed features an image of Alec snuggling with baby Romeo, the pair of them in Hilaria and Alec’s bed. If that’s not enough to make you say “awwww,” then we have no hope for you! Alec has really turned things around with his new little family, but the best part is the fact that Hilaria shares it all on social media!

10 They’re Close With Ireland

Despite all the past drama between Alec and his ex Kim Basinger, it seems like things are looking up as far as familial relations. The divorce was tough on Alec, and he’s written about his experiences extensively. Not only did his professional life have repercussions after the split, but he also had a hard time maintaining a healthy relationship with his daughter. These days, though, Ireland is now in her 20's and seems to spend plenty of time with her dad and her stepmom. Hilaria has shared adorable IG pictures of her and Ireland video chatting, plus this image of Ireland and her pup, who Hilaria says Romeo is the uncle of.

9 Hilaria’s Health Isn’t Perfect

You might imagine that since Hilaria is so focused on health and fitness that she’d be in tip-top shape. But after having four children, Hilaria admitted that she’s dealt with diastasis recti, which is where the large abdominal muscles separate. It can be a bit of a pain—both figuratively and literally—and takes some special exercises, and perhaps even physical therapy, to overcome. Some mamas wind up needing surgery, but Hilaria has shared on her IG that she’s learned some helpful exercises for dealing with the condition after having her fourth baby, Romeo. Further proving that even celeb moms deal with the same stuff as average mamas.

8 Everyone Stays Fit Together

Hilaria might be decked out in her yoga pants and athletic tops, but apparently, Alec does his exercise at the park in his more formal slacks and polo! The thing is, with a yoga instructor as a wife, we’re pretty sure Alec can’t escape the fitness mindset. And let’s be honest: we could all use a little more physical activity. Chasing after kiddos doesn’t exactly count, either. We love that both parents are showing their kiddos that fitness is just part of life and also that it should be fun. It’s also pretty refreshing that mom and dad take their kiddos out to the park and the pumpkin patch and everywhere else instead of holing up at home like other celebs!

7 Mom Still Does Yoga

Although Hilaria’s got lots of other things going on, she’s still a huge proponent for yoga. Not only is her IG feed full of her—and her babies—doing yoga, but she still teaches classes on occasion. The mama of four announces her studio time on her IG, but she also shares workout videos and tips on her social media account. Most of the time, one or more of the children join her, but sometimes Alec does, too. Stay tuned for more on that spectacle! But it just goes to show that although Hilaria may have found her match in Alec and benefit from his fame in some ways, she still has her own interests and projects outside of her marriage.

6 She Works, Too!

You might think that because Alec has a thriving professional life, his wife wouldn’t need or want to work. But when they met, Hilaria was a yoga instructor, and she hasn’t stopped working just because she married a Baldwin. In the time since marrying Alec, she’s not only written a book but also began co-hosting a podcast. Her IG bio holds these details, but she’s also given some interviews about the podcast, which is called Mom Brain. Clearly, she’s not shy about sharing how she manages to balance her four kiddos and a high-powered and rewarding life outside her husband’s shadow.

5 They Make Time For Day Trips

Both Alec and Hilaria are super busy in their day-to-day lives. With his long-standing role on Saturday Night Live plus tons of other off-and-on projects, Alec’s on set more often than not. But Hilaria has her hands full with not only the kids at home, but also her work and other projects. Still, the couple makes time for their growing family, taking the kids on educational day trips and getting out of the house as often as possible. They live in New York, so plenty of Hilaria’s IG snapshots feature the concrete jungle, but that doesn’t mean the kids don’t get out and play, whether it’s in their yard or at the museum!

4 They Have A Nanny

As hands-on as Hilaria and Alec both are with their growing brood—daughter Carmen and sons Rafael, Leonardo, and Romeo—they’ve also enlisted some outside help. It’s not surprising, especially these days, as more and more mamas have their own pursuits outside the home. But Hilaria’s nanny is more a part of the family than anything, as she highlights on IG, and she’s a pretty funny lady, too. The nanny not only took this snap of Hilaria in her kids’ stroller but also managed a snap of all four of the kiddos having a meltdown during a park outing with mom. Major props for being real about mom life!

3 Parenting Isn’t Perfect

That meltdown mentioned previously? Yeah, Hilaria’s pretty real about that stuff happening. She shares photos of the kids jumping on her while she’s working out, tells about the funny things the kids say and is fairly transparent about both their good and bad days. On the day of the park trip meltdown, Hilaria was literally sitting on the ground cradling her babies as they either cried or had tantrums. So as perfect as she may appear in public or on the red carpet alongside her hubby, Hilaria’s really real and less than perfect at home. Of course, we’ve all been there — we’re just not usually as honest about it!

2 The Babies Are Adorably Bilingual

Because Hilaria is originally from Spain, she speaks the language fluently. Therefore, it only makes sense that her four kiddos are bilingual as well. She excitedly shared baby Romeo’s first few words on her IG, noting that he knew how to say “Hola” already, among other words and a few in English. It’s absolutely adorable that the children are learning two languages, especially the baby! And it’s also nice knowing that Alec’s on board with Hilaria honoring her roots, both in terms of the kids’ names and speaking both languages at home. Plus, Hilaria promotes some of their bilingual resources on her IG, which is helpful for us average moms who struggle with languages!

1 Not All Friends Are Famous

On IG, Hilaria shared a sweet story about her daughter Carmen’s best friend. The girls call each other “sister-friends” and absolutely adore one another, Hilaria wrote. But then, the family also had a little boy — one nearly the same age as baby Romeo Baldwin. So not only do the girls get to be besties but now little Romeo has a built-in “brother-friend,” too. How sweet is it that not only do Alec and Hilaria encourage their little girl to grow her friendships—getting mom and dad involved, too—but they also make friends with non-celebs in their circle? BTW, call us for a playdate, Hilaria!