Actress Marcia Cross, 45, is mom to fraternal twins Eden and Savannah, 10 months. The Desperate Housewives star invited USA Today's Will Keck into her home for an interview recently, and talked a bit about her girls. The girls are now 20 lbs a piece -- 'My arms have never looked better' -- are standing and crawling, and Marcia thinks they'll be walking soon.
Click below for the interview and more images.
Marcia's life has undergone many changes in the last three years, and she says she couldn't be happier. At the same time, her openness about her use of in-vitro fertilization has led to a 'role-model for moms in their 40s' role she does not wish for -- instead, she encourages women to start their families sooner, if at all possible.
More than anything, the creation I wanted in the world was my family. I really wanted to be with Tom, get married and have my babies. And I have that now. I've never been happier in my whole life.
[But] have your children as young as you can and don't be fooled by [older] women having babies, because it's very expensive and [requires] a lot of needles and shots.I wish I were younger. We're all in denial here, especially in L.A., and we want to pretend that we're not in the middle of our lives. There's not that much time left. In 20 years, I'm going to be in my late 60s and they're going to be 20. I hate that I'm not going to be there for my kids forever.
With that thought in mind, Marcia was inspired to
develop the Legacy Keeper
($50), which
allows families to record memories and organize mementos. The kit
includes 'interview' questions and an MP3 player/recorded to capture
stories on, as well as places for keepsakes and photos.
On goals for her girls, Marcia says she wants Eden and Savannah to be free of many of the insecurities she suffered from.
I'd like for them to be scientists or painters. I don't want them to spend as much time having to think about their looks as I have. I want them to be free of that.
Marcia shares that a drawback of twins is that they seem to draw twice the interest of the paparazzi.
I just ignore them for the most part, because the more you get involved with them, the worse it is. It's sometimes worse for the people around me. If you're at a children's park and people are taking pictures, people automatically think it's pedophilia or some creepy people. Of course, if [paparazzi] get too close, I tell them I will kill them.
Lastly, Marcia brings the girls down from their nap to meet the reporter.
These are my angels...[Eden's] very focused, which I'm not. She has a good sense of humor, which I also have. [Savannah] is very passionate and impulsive, which I am. And she looks like her dad!
Source: USA Today's CelebWatch (Video at the link)
Your Comments
The girls are so cute!!
I don't usually comment on posts, but I have to comment on this one. I am glad that Marcia encourages women to start families at a young age and not wait like she did. She is right that people are in denial that they can extend their reproductive years well into their 40's and even 50's. The celebrity women that are highlighted having children later in life are the exception and not the rule. In addition, they have endured very expensive and invasive medical procedures to get there as Marcia points out. American women need to wake up to the reality of the biological clock and not keep thinking that science will bail them out. For an excellent book on women's fertility and other pressing women's sexual and mental health issues, see "Unprotected" by Miriam Grossman.
The girls are so cute, and marcia seems so happy, good for her.
They are adorable!
Wow! 20-pounds at 10-months, and they are twins? Each of my singletons wasn't 20-pounds at a year. I feel like I had little, bitty kiddies. Eden and Savannah are absolutely beautiful. I am so happy for Marcia and Tom. She seems to just revel in motherhood.
I absolute love Marcia and her twins. Savannah definitely looks like Tom!
My daughter was born the day before Eden and Savannah so it's been fun watching them grow up and comparing them to my little baby! My daughter is also 20 lbs now so I can't even imagine having one in each arm! The girls are adorable! I'm so happy for them :)
"For an excellent book on women's fertility and other pressing women's sexual and mental health issues, see "Unprotected" by Miriam Grossman."
before everyone goes out to investigate sara's book recommendation, please note that "unprotected" is NOT specifically about women's fertility, but is a conservative tome criticizing the way student health clinics on college campuses approach topics of mental and sexual health. among the author's issues of malcontent: that clinics often encourage students to practice safer sex rather than abstinence until marriage; that health clinics do not present religion as a means to promoting mental health (which she believes they should); and that clinics often tell students not to be ashamed of their different sexual orientations (she sees such identification as "grotesque and destructive"). in short, this book has very little to do with later-in-life fertility and a great deal to do with preaching a conservative message that speaks primarily to religious fundamentalists.
that being said, congratulations to marcia, tom, and the girls. they strike me, from afar, as a happy family. and marcia, in particular, seems very down-to-earth and lovely.
Thank you for pointing the truth about that book, Kristen, I was glad someone did!
Aww, they're so cute! And I love how honest and open Marcia is about the whole process of conceiving through IVF. And her descriptions of Eden and Savannah's personalities surprised me a bit. I actually thought they were the opposite of what she said. But she's their mom, so she would know best lol!
I think Marcia said very beautifully what no one (in Hollywood) wanted to say or hear. I love that she pulled the glamour coating off of the issue, and exposed it for what it is. Congratulations to her and her family and the babies are so lovely.
"Wow! 20-pounds at 10-months, and they are twins? Each of my singletons wasn't 20-pounds at a year. I feel like I had little, bitty kiddies. "
I'm with you, Dana! My daughter is 22 months old and just hit the 23 pound mark.
Very cute girls'... I really love their names, especially Savannah. :)
I think the problem is, as I believe it was for Marcia, when you don't meet that special someone until you are in your late 30's or early 40's.
I watched a show recently by a well know celeb fertility specialist and she said, that most women in Hollywood who have children 40 plus, especially multiples use egg donors.
Beautiful family!
Hi Anne and Dana. My daughter is 1 year and only 17 lbs. It's reassuring to hear that she's not the only one. Did any of your doctors hassle you about your babies' weight?
Of course, if [paparazzi] get too close, I tell them I will kill them.
That made me laugh! I love how she handles the paparazzi and decides to ignore them, unless they go too far. Seems to be working quite well for her.
I also love her honesty.
Magnolia - no, my doctors have never said anything about Erin's weight. They have always agreed that she is tiny, yet seems completely healthy & well-nourished and is growing at a steady pace. My pedicatrician actually mentioned that her being in such a low percentile for weight is not cause for alarm because there are so many overweight children these days.