Naomi Watts: Two Under Two Is the ‘Hardest Thing I’ve Ever Done’

Courtesy Marie Claire UK

Born to a 20-year-old young mother, Naomi Watts never imagined her life would take such a drastically different direction when it came to starting her own family with fiancé Liev Schreiber.

Although the couple felt an instant connection upon their initial meeting years before beginning their relationship, unforeseen circumstances consistently delayed the romance.

“It was never the right time or we were with other people,” the actress, 41, admits in the July issue of Marie Claire UK.

“When we finally saw each other at the Met Ball five years ago, we were both single and we were both very aware of each other in the room. I don’t know about love at first sight, but there was a strong desire for one another.”

The late start with Schreiber — and Watts’ dedication to her career — temporarily placed children on the back burner. However, not even Watts believed she would be chasing toddlers in her forties.

“I didn’t ever think I would be having kids this late,” she admits. “Then two kids under the age of two in diapers — it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but the most rewarding.”

So rewarding, in fact, that Watts — already mom to sons Sasha, 2½, and Kai, 18 months — would be willing to try for a third — if she could guarantee herself a baby girl.

“People say, ‘Are you done?’ and I’m pretty sure I am, but I’d love a little girl,” Watts reveals.

– Anya Leon

Comments

I love her. Such a great actress and through the pictures we see and the interviews we read she seems like a great mom:) Beautiful family as well:)

- Traci on June 18th, 2010

Go for the 3rd Naomi! Life is too short to not try for the things we want, and little girls are just awesome:) Boys too of course!

I’ve been hearing a lot about the sperm sorting to get one gender or the other, the couples I know who did it were very happy with the results. I’d do it if I had the money.

- jessicad on June 18th, 2010

I hope they try for a girl! They make beautiful babies! Future heartbreakers for sure! Love this family!

- kelsey on June 18th, 2010

They seem to be a loving, hands-on family. There are lots of children in America and abroad – girls and boys – who would love to be part of a loving family. What a positive generous way to guarantee a sister for Sasha and Kai.

- Chris on June 18th, 2010

chris, you are so right, but you also need to understand that some people are not comfortable with adoption. In my opinion it’s more difficult to adopt when you already have biogical children. Angelina Jolie already had Maddox and Zahara when she welcomed Shiloh, so it’s maybe why it was easier for her to treat all her children the same way. But Naomi and Liev already have 2 sons… i’d understand if she didn’t want to adopt. But who knows, maybe in the few months we’ll be reading right here ” Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber adopt litte girl from…”!

- xxx on June 18th, 2010

Their daughter would be gorgeous! But they could always guarentee themselves a little girl by adopting!

- JMO on June 18th, 2010

jessicad- From what I’ve read, though, even the sperm-sorting techinques avaliable are not 100 percent accurate (unless, that is, you also do PGD before transferring the embryos into the mother).

xxx- I agree totally! Adoption is wonderful, but it isn’t for everybody. Anyway, I like Naomi’s comment about how she’s probably done having kids but would love a little girl. It sounds to me like she is being realistic about her chances of concieving again, and I find that refreshing.

- CelebBabyLover on June 19th, 2010

Nice article. I hope they go for the little girl. If you have the money and the heart, why not. =)

- m-dot on June 19th, 2010

xxx, I really don’t see how it could be any harder to adopt a child after having biological children. But you are right that not everyone is comfortable with adoption.

- dfs on June 19th, 2010

This is why I like having a just over 3 year gap, LOL. Can understand why she didn’t leave it long with her age though. Hope she’s blessed with a little girl one day, although either is a blessing. We have one of each and it’s great. Before she arrived I couldn’t imagine having a girl after our son, but can’t imagine life without her, nice to experience the ‘girlie’ side of life with her, mum-daughter stuff. They have some beautiful boys!

- Sam and Freya's Mum on June 19th, 2010

dfs some countries have limits like that. If you already have children you can’t adopt from there. Or if you are over the age of 40 you can’t adopt from there etc etc.

I often read on this website “why don’t they just adopt?” But there is no “just” in adoption. It’s a long hard road. If they would start now they might not get a child until 4 years later.

- Anna on June 19th, 2010

@jessicad – Microsort procedures for gender selection, for the purpose of obtaining a preferred gender child, are still in the clinical trial phase in the U.S. and not legal in all countries. Many fertility clinics have restrictions for couples who wish to opt for gender selection. Usually, the option is only made available to circumvent fatal or devastating gender-related birth defects, and not “just because” a couple wants a boy or girl.

- cheryl on June 19th, 2010

Adoption is not for everyone. If you know someone who wouldn’t be a good candidate for adoption, you’d still suggest it? I think no. Let people have their kids how THEY want without acting like adoption is the way to get the kids “you want”.

- KellyK on June 19th, 2010

Of course this is just my opinion but I don’t really like the whole gender selection thing. I feel like your kids are your kids so let God give you what he wants to give you. Baby making is becoming similar to placing orders these days. I remember reading a long time ago an interview with Julia Roberts where she admitted that her twin embryos went through the gender selection process so that if they both implanted, they would have a boy and a girl. I don’t care how much money I had, I would never take that road.

- court on June 20th, 2010

Man I can’t believe she’s 41…..

- Lola Marie on June 20th, 2010

The 2 couples I know who used the gender selection wanted girls because they each had 2 or 3 boys, and it worked! The girls are almost teenagers now, I had no idea there were still restrictions.

Court, a lot of people feel that way and I completely respect that:) I’m just one who believes God has a role even in the gender selection process, everything happens the way it was meant to happen, if that makes sense.

- jessicad on June 20th, 2010

I agree that adoption isn’t for everyone. You have to be able to go into with your whole heart, and it has to be what you really want.

And, yes, there is no such things as “just adopt”. Dfs, the adoption can be complicated by numerous variables like attachment, open/close adoption, the age of the child, whether it was international, etc. There are lots of ways that adoption is different and therefore, sometimes more difficult, than a biological child.

Court, I guess I see what you are saying although I am a Deist and believe that god is a passive observer, so “he” has nothing to do with gender selection. But playing devil’s advocate here, if people are using ART, aren’t they already circumventing god’s plan? I mean, really, if they were “meant” to get pregnant, wouldn’t they be able to do it on their own without assistance. Where’s the line then? You can circumvent god to get pregnant, but once there, you can’t circumvent god’s plan to choose gender? And then, obviously, there are opinions like jessicad’s, where god has a hand in all of it, regardless of the technology used.

And just for a disclaimer, I do not believe there is any such thing as some people being “meant” to get pregnant and other’s not, or for some people being meant to be parents and others not.

- Jen on June 20th, 2010

I too am parenting boys who are 14 months apart and it is the hardest job in the world. Every Mother who has had little boys say it’s difficult at the beginning but eases up as they get older and you’ll be glad you had boys when they’re teens…because they also had little girls who are easy when they’re little and get harder as they grow up and watch out for those teen years! I’m hoping that my children will know, more than anything else, that their Mother ALWAYS put them first and was there for them, whether it was playing with Legos or listening to some God awful Rap music with them or always listening to them and never judging them.
Naomi looks fantastic..if she wants to try for more and get a girl..go for it..gender selection or not..it’s not our business, it’s hers. It appears that she’s completely Hands-On Mom..I never see a Nanny so Rock On Naomi..

- hooligansmom on June 20th, 2010

I don’t think personally I’d ever do gender selection because when I started having kids, I had no preferences. After one boy and three girls, yeah I wanted a boy, but I didn’t go through any gender selection process to get him. I had wanted a son, but would have been thrilled with another daughter. I did end up having a little boy, but I was told I was having a girl, so a son was a HUGE surprise. I believe gender selection is really up to God, not me. However, I say go for it Naomi, life is short.

- Luna on June 20th, 2010

when did naomi talk about gender selection? everyone on this blog keep saying that she shouldn’t do it, but she only said something like “oh i love to have a baby girl but not right now” …or maybe that’s victoria b.?

- maggie on June 20th, 2010

That cover photo is gorgeous

- Alycia on June 21st, 2010

maggie- She didn’t. Some people are just suggesting she do gender selection….and then other people are explaining that it may not be right for her. I don’t actually see anyone outright say she SHOULDN’T do it, just that THEY wouldn’t.

Jen- I respect your opinion, but I DO believe there are people who are “meant” to get pregnant (whether the old-fashioned way or with help) and become parents (whether via pregnancy, adoption, or whatever).

- CelebBabyLover on June 21st, 2010

I like her and her little family. They’re always out and about just being a family with no pretense. To me it sounds like from her comments she wouldn’t do the technology thing with gender selection. I’m glad she has at least two though. When she and her husband are older, it’s easier to go through your parents in the elderly stage with a sibling or two.

- Lyoness on June 21st, 2010

Lola Marie,
Why can’t you believe she is 41? 41 is still young and not old at all. That’s what 41 looks like. Some people need to update their thoughts about age. 40 really is the new 30 in so many ways!

- Jill on June 21st, 2010

maggie- Here is what she said when asked if she’ll have more kids ““If I could guarantee myself a girl, I’d say yes,”. That’s why people started in with gender selection, since she could “guarantee” (although techincally the only type of gender selection that actually guarantees the gender of your choice is PGD, in which they take some cells from the embryo for testing before inserting into the mother. The sperm-sorting methods aren’t 100 percent effective.) herself a girl that way.

- CelebBabyLover on June 22nd, 2010

If she wants a ‘baby girl’, she could adopt.. I had 2 girls; then 2 boys. My daughters are 16 mos. apart. Now, they are 32 and 33.. They are also the closest of friends, which is wonderful!

- Jane on June 23rd, 2010

Jane- Maybe adoption isn’t for her. As wonderful as adoption is, it’s not for everyone! Also, at her age, she is probably already past the age limit in some countries, or at least past the age limit for adopting a baby or a toddler (and I can understand why she wouldn’t want to adopt an older child. Being that Sasha and Kai are still so young, an “older child” would most likely be older than Sasha, her current eldest….and, from what I’ve read, it’s not usually a good idea to bring in a child that’s older than your current oldest. When that happens, child that was the oldest is suddenly not the oldest anymore….and that can understandbly cause some issues.).

- CelebBabyLover on June 24th, 2010