Actor and general badass Gabrielle Union recently got candid with Parents about her imperfect parenting — especially surviving Kaavia’s refusal to take naps. Kaavia is now four months old.
“Kaavia went through a phase of not napping. I was like, ‘When do I shower or pee or live?’” Union joked in the magazine’s May issue. “So I had to get a little comfortable with her crying, which I had not been. And then I took the quickest shower of all time!”
For any mom to admit she has to get “a little comfortable” with a baby crying is a massive deal to put out there on social media. Is it true? Hell yes. Mama’s got to shower sometime. Still, we expected there’d be a media backlash against Union, but we have yet to find the haters and shamers on Twitter or Instagram. Yassss!
Union opened up about her other less-than-perfect mom moments too in the interview. “I suck at swaddling. I don’t know whether to use plastic or glass bottles. I never knew there were so many types of nipples. And installing a car seat is like taking the SATs!” Union laughed.
“I don’t have all the answers, which feels terrifying,” Union admitted. And a resounding collective sigh of parental relief was heard around the globe.
Despite being a stepmom to husband Dwyane Wade’s sons over the years, parenting Kaavia is a whole different ball of wax. Union said she’s had to learn to relax her self-judgment.
“I give myself permission to be human,” she said in the interview — an “upside” to being in her mid 40s as a first-time parent, she believes.
“When I need a minute to return emails or cry or mindlessly scroll through social media, I’ll take it. I’m not trying to be a perfect parent…. I’m okay with life not being balanced,” she continued to Parents. “I’m not hitting it out of the park in every area. There are times I should be studying lines, but I’m playing with my baby and I’m enjoying it.”
We’re feeling that enjoyment, big time. This video was posted on Kaavia’s own Instagram page (tagline: Don’t Ask Me I Just Got Here) with the caption, “Thank you @therealruthecarter for starting this challenge to finish out #WomensHistoryMonth, and thanks to my mom for embarrassing herself with her singing voice so I didn’t have to. #ShadyBaby loves a fun opportunity to lift up other women, so I think this is a great way to end #WomensHistoryMonth. It’s never too early to empower other women, so I nominate @lennoxgrae @lockeraen (@deirdremaloney), @crosby_sparrow (@ms_nix) and @growingupindi ( @massy.arias) to complete this challenge of singing, lip syncing, or dancing to their favorite female empowerment song. You can ask your mom for help too! @therealmaryjblige”:
In our humblest of opinions? Gabrielle and baby Kaavia seem to be getting through any and all rough patches just fine, judging from this recent Instagram post, captioned by Union, “Perfect Sunday.”
Fun fact: Union’s husband, Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat, just surpassed Michael Jordan (yes, THAT Michael Jordan) for the most blocks by any guard in NBA history. We have no idea whose job it is to keep track of that stuff, but damn, we pretty much keeled over and died when we read Union’s chill response to her hubby’s honor:
Wade, who took two weeks of paternity leave, is “like a stage mom,” Union quipped to Parents. “He’s very hands-on [with Kaavia]. When he’s in Miami and we’re in Los Angeles, he wants to know everything, from her poops to what outfit she’s wearing.”
Union is currently working on a Bad Boys spin-off, L.A.’s Finest. She stars with Jessica Alba — also a working mom. “Together we’ve re-imagined what Hollywood can be for working moms,” Union said. The show is set to premiere on May 13. We’re here for it — and anything else Union (or baby Kaavia) wants to post.
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