We’re so thrilled to welcome our newest celebrity blogger — please give a warm welcome to Garcelle Beauvais!
Best known for her roles on The Jamie Foxx Show and NYPD Blue, the actress, 45, currently stars on TNT’s Franklin & Bash, airing Tuesdays at 10 p.m.
Mom to three sons — Oliver, 21, and 4½-year-old twins Jax and Jaid — Beauvais supports the Step Up Women’s Network and is also active with March of Dimes, Children Uniting Nations and Yéle Haiti Foundation.
She can be found on Twitter @GarcelleB.
Hey everyone, my name is Garcelle Beauvais. I am an actress, mom of three amazing boys — Oliver, Jax and Jaid — and now an author, but more on that later.
Many of you may know me from my work on The Jamie Foxx Show and NYPD Blue. Currently, I’m starring on Franklin & Bash with Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer.
As much as I love what I have accomplished so far as an actress, I have to say that being a mom — with all of its challenges and rewards — has been the best role of my life. Growing up, I was the youngest of seven children, so babies and kids have always been around me. My mom has 25 grandchildren — yep, 25.
I always wanted to have kids, and when I dreamed about my future, I pictured having a boy first and then a girl — the perfect nuclear family. Well, we can’t always have it our way. But I have to say, I got really lucky!
I had my first son, Oliver, when I was very young. I was modeling in New York when I met his dad. We immediately fell in love and got married after only two months. Crazy, right?! Two years later, Oliver appeared on the scene. He was the best baby, so easy and happy. I took him everywhere with me — on photo shoots, on location, and he did so well on airplanes, too.
Oliver is now 21 years old and an up-and-coming rapper. (His stage name is Jayson Rose.)
Unfortunately, my first marriage didn’t work out. I thought that was the end of my baby days, but then I met Mike Nilon.
We fell in love and I wanted to have kids with him. Since I already had a child, I thought it would be a cinch. Boy, was I in for a surprise!
I learned the hard way that trying to have babies when you’re older is a whole different ball game. It took blood, sweat (both the good and bad kind!), lots of tears, and most importantly, fertility treatments. But I finally got pregnant. It was truly a miracle.
All I wanted was a healthy baby. That wish came true with an added bonus. Yep, I was expecting twins!
While I was pregnant, I couldn’t wait to meet my boys. Though I must admit that when the doctor first said he saw two penises on the ultrasound, I was a bit disappointed. I’m such a girly-girl, and I couldn’t believe I wasn’t getting a little mini-me! Now who would I give all of my designer shoes to?! Ha.
I was so excited for my sons. Because conceiving them had been so difficult, I was very nervous throughout the pregnancy. I tried to stay positive and lots of prayers got me through!
Well, on Oct. 18, 2007, I had a c-section and got to meet my yummy boys, Jax and Jaid. I was so happy — I couldn’t believe they were truly ours. They were so cute I couldn’t stand it!
Even though they’re fraternal twins, I wondered if they would share a lot of similar personality traits. But from day one, they were different. Jax came out screaming while Jaid came out looking both serious and curious about the world around him.
Seeing Oliver hold his tiny little siblings for the first time brought tears to my eyes. Jax has a love of music like his big brother, although my little guy prefers rock and roll to rap. Jaid loves to look at fishes and snuggle.
To this day, my happiest moments are when all three of my boys are with me hanging out at home. Even though they are a generation apart, they love each other so much.
My sons bring me such joy, even when they drive me nuts. I’m sure you can relate! Let’s face it: little boys have lots of energy, and when you have two who are the same age at the same time, it means a lot of activity! That’s why I keep them busy with soccer, karate and swim lessons.
My boys have also taught me a lot of about life. That’s why I’m so excited to tell you about the children’s book series I’m writing based on Jax and Jaid’s experiences as twins of mixed race who split their time between two homes. (Stay tuned!)
Thank you for reading, and I look forward to sharing more with you about my life with my boys. You can leave a comment below or catch me on Twitter @GarcelleB.
– Garcelle Beauvais