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Gabrielle Union/Instagram
“Welcome to the party sweet girl!”her caption concluded.
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Changing Perspectives
Union, 46, and Wade, 36,tied the knotin August 2014 and at first, the actress didn’t see children as part of her future.
“I never wanted kids,” she told PEOPLE in September 2017. “Then I became a stepmom, and there was no place I’d rather be than with them.”
03of 07Stepmom from the StartAlthough Wade got full custody of his boys while he and Union were dating, she told PEOPLE in 2017 that she was committed to them from the start.“Even though we were just dating at that point, I made a commitment and my family made a commitment to help,” she said. “Over the years when we’ve been in and out of love or a romantic relationship, my commitment to the kids and my family’s commitment to the kids never wavered.“Union added: “I would weather uncomfortable moments within our personal, romantic relationship to make sure that we were both on hand as much as possible to be consistent in their lives.”
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Stepmom from the Start
Although Wade got full custody of his boys while he and Union were dating, she told PEOPLE in 2017 that she was committed to them from the start.
“Even though we were just dating at that point, I made a commitment and my family made a commitment to help,” she said. “Over the years when we’ve been in and out of love or a romantic relationship, my commitment to the kids and my family’s commitment to the kids never wavered.”
Union added: “I would weather uncomfortable moments within our personal, romantic relationship to make sure that we were both on hand as much as possible to be consistent in their lives.”
04of 07Fertility StrugglesPresley Ann/Getty ImagesIn her book,We’re Going to Need More Wine, which was excerpted exclusively in PEOPLE ahead of it’s release in 2017, Union opened up about the difficulties she’s faced in trying to conceive a child.“I have had eight or nine miscarriages,” shewrote. “For three years, my body has been a prisoner of trying to get pregnant — I’ve either been about to go into an IVF cycle, in the middle of an IVF cycle, or coming out of an IVF cycle.”
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Fertility Struggles
Presley Ann/Getty Images
In her book,We’re Going to Need More Wine, which was excerpted exclusively in PEOPLE ahead of it’s release in 2017, Union opened up about the difficulties she’s faced in trying to conceive a child.
“I have had eight or nine miscarriages,” shewrote. “For three years, my body has been a prisoner of trying to get pregnant — I’ve either been about to go into an IVF cycle, in the middle of an IVF cycle, or coming out of an IVF cycle.”
05of 07Dealing with SpeculationAmy Sussman/Variety/REX/Shutterstock“For so many women, and not just women in the spotlight, people feel very entitled to know, [they ask] ‘Do you want kids?’ " she told PEOPLE in 2017. “A lot of people, especially people that have fertility issues, just say ‘no’ because that’s a lot easier than being honest about whatever is actually going on. People mean so well, but they have no idea the harm or frustration it can cause.““Once a month I look like I’m in my second trimester because I’m bloated,” she continued. “It leads to the questions and it leads to the rumors and anytime I go into a doctor’s office I feel like I’m a member of SEAL Team Six undercover because I don’t want people to speculate.”
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Dealing with Speculation
Amy Sussman/Variety/REX/Shutterstock
“For so many women, and not just women in the spotlight, people feel very entitled to know, [they ask] ‘Do you want kids?’ " she told PEOPLE in 2017. “A lot of people, especially people that have fertility issues, just say ‘no’ because that’s a lot easier than being honest about whatever is actually going on. People mean so well, but they have no idea the harm or frustration it can cause.”
“Once a month I look like I’m in my second trimester because I’m bloated,” she continued. “It leads to the questions and it leads to the rumors and anytime I go into a doctor’s office I feel like I’m a member of SEAL Team Six undercover because I don’t want people to speculate.”
06of 07Finding AnswersAstrid Stawiarz/Getty Images“Towards the end of my fertility journeyI finally got some answers,” Union said while speaking at the BlogHer conference in New York City on Aug. 8, according toEssence.“Everyone said ‘You’re a career woman, you’ve prioritized your career, you waited too long and now you’re just too old to have a kid — and that’s on you for wanting a career,’ " she continued, before adding, “the reality is I actually have adenomyosis.“Adenomyosis is atype of endometriosisthat only occurs in the uterus, according to the Seckin Endometriosis Center. While side effects include an enlarged uterus, extremely heavy and painful periods and chronic pelvic pain, theonly cure is to undergo a hysterectomy, according to the Mayo Clinic.Union said she had been dealing with symptoms of Adenomyosis since her early 20s, yet doctors had never given her an answer and simply put her on birth control to “mask” the problem.
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Finding Answers
Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images
“Towards the end of my fertility journeyI finally got some answers,” Union said while speaking at the BlogHer conference in New York City on Aug. 8, according toEssence.
“Everyone said ‘You’re a career woman, you’ve prioritized your career, you waited too long and now you’re just too old to have a kid — and that’s on you for wanting a career,’ " she continued, before adding, “the reality is I actually have adenomyosis.”
Adenomyosis is atype of endometriosisthat only occurs in the uterus, according to the Seckin Endometriosis Center. While side effects include an enlarged uterus, extremely heavy and painful periods and chronic pelvic pain, theonly cure is to undergo a hysterectomy, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Union said she had been dealing with symptoms of Adenomyosis since her early 20s, yet doctors had never given her an answer and simply put her on birth control to “mask” the problem.
07of 07Holding Onto HopeGabrielle Union/InstagramDespite everything she had been through, Union wrote inWe’re Going to Need More Winethat she and Wade remained “bursting with love and ready to do anything to meet the child we’ve both dreamed of.“Now, it seems, their dreams have become a reality.
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Holding Onto Hope
Despite everything she had been through, Union wrote inWe’re Going to Need More Winethat she and Wade remained “bursting with love and ready to do anything to meet the child we’ve both dreamed of.”
Now, it seems, their dreams have become a reality.
source: people.com
