“We feel this real thrill that Jack is finally going to have a sibling, because we weren’t sure he was ever going to,” says an elated McNamee, who plays Dr Tori Morgan in Home and Away. Former high-school sweethearts, the pair always planned to have a family of their own. Like many young couples, however, they never really considered that the road to parenthood may not be an easy one.
Until, that is, they started trying to conceive for the first time. To 35-year-old McNamee, who experienced fertility issues resulting from endometriosis – undiagnosed until recently – the news that they are expecting a baby in March is everything they’d been hoping for. Even if the discovery did come at a rather, shall we say, inopportune moment.
WHO sat down with the actress and her 36-year-old husband to find out why.
Congratulations! You must be so thrilled.
McNamee: Thank you. We really are. We’re just feeling very grateful, blessed and excited.
When did you find out?
McNamee: Would you believe on the day of the Logie awards. [Laughs]
Oh my goodness! Tell us about it.
McNamee: I was putting on my dress at four in the afternoon, and I had a gorgeous lady helping zip me up. I’d had four dress fittings over the two weeks before, including four days before the Logies, and the dress had fitted me like a glove. But, all of a sudden, it felt like it was a size too small and we ended up having to ask two other women to help. As these three women were battling to zip me up, I had this moment of thinking “I must be pregnant!” I just knew in my heart.
Does Jack understand that he’s going to be a big brother?
Tooker: When Pen said, “I’ve got a baby in my tummy,” Jack asked, “Right now?”
McNamee: That’s one of the blessings of having quite a large gap between the kids. Jack knows exactly what’s going on and he’s really excited. He loves feeling my tummy every day and giving his name suggestions.
Do you hope to have an even bigger family?
McNamee: We’d probably like to, but we won’t be sad if we don’t. We’re just incredibly grateful to be having a second. You have in your head who you think they’re going to be like or what they’re going to look like, and they just come out this completely original, unique person that you have to get to know. That’s the most fun and exciting process.
Read the full interview in this week's issue of WHO, on sale now.
