Catherine Bell‘s 11-week-old son Ronan is already working on a megawatt grin rivaling his mother’s.
“I tell him how handsome he is and he just smiles!†says the Army Wives star who delivered her baby boy via c-section on Aug. 21.
“He’s the sweetest little boy. He’s so easygoing and not fussy at all. He’s full of smiles.â€
Bell — who is also mom to daughter Gemma, 7½, with her screenwriter husband Adam Beason — says motherhood the second time around is a breeze.
“I’m more relaxed and I’m enjoying the experience so much more,†she explains.
“When my daughter was born, if she started crying I’d jump out of my seat and go, ‘Oh my gosh, she’s crying, is she okay?’ With this guy, I’m not dropping everything and running into the bedroom. I’ll just finish what I do and go and pick him up.â€
She also has the assistance of Gemma, who has turned into a “second mommy,†the actress notes.
“The first time she saw him in the hospital, it was the most beautiful thing,†Bell, 42, recalls. “Gemma came over and held him and started crying. It was so sweet. She loves to cuddle him and feed him.â€
Bell, who gained 28 lbs. during her pregnancy, credits “breastfeeding, working out, eating well and having one treat, not two†with helping her lose the weight.
“It feels good to get back in shape,†she says. “I put the baby in a sling or baby carrier and go for long walks or walk on the treadmill. It’s a great bonding experience — he usually falls asleep on me and I get the extra 10 lbs. for my workout.â€
The JAG alum — who lives in Charleston, S.C. with her family — is back at work, filming a Lifetime action movie in Detroit that her husband wrote. She can next be seen in The Good Witch’s Gift, premiering Nov. 13 on the Hallmark Channel, and returns to the set of Army Wives in December.
“Life is pretty wonderful,†she says. “I have a great family and a great job. I feel so blessed. I’m savoring every moment.â€