Samantha Harris: My Daughters Have “Completely Different Personalities”
TV host Samantha Harris loves the “profound” experience of motherhood! The Dancing with the Stars alum took part in Saturday’s March for Babies walk in Los Angeles. A “longtime supporter” of March of Dimes, Samantha says the money raised will “help all moms, including at-risk women, have healthy full-term pregnancies.”
Samantha opens up to Celebrity Baby Scoop about being a “strong advocate for anti-hunger issues” and “empower[ing] women to have healthy, full-term pregnancies.” The mom-of-two also talks about her “completely different” daughters Josselyn, 4, and 15-month-old Hilary, the joys of motherhood, and the possibility of baby No. 3: “Never say never!”
CBS: Tell us about partnering with March of Dimes and their March for Babies walk in LA.
SH: “I’m a longtime supporter of the March of Dimes. Their mission is to empower women to have healthy, full-term pregnancies. They’ve been around for years, and the work they do for women is unprecedented. The March of Dimes raises money to help all moms, including at-risk women, have healthy full-term pregnancies.
The March of Dimes has raised millions of dollars during their March for Babies walks across the country. I’m honored to be part of the Los Angeles walk at Exposition Park this weekend. It’s an amazing event and I’m so excited to host the morning’s opening ceremonies.
There are so many stories of poverty, malnutrition and inadequate healthcare all over the word. And really, all those things also exist right here in our backyards. Many women right here in the USA are giving birth to premature babies. The March of Dimes raises millions of dollars through the March for Babies walks across the U.S. to benefit all babies.
And not to mention, they’re an amazing online resource for women everywhere! There is a ton of information for expectant moms on their site [MarchOfDimes.com].”
CBS: How are Josselyn and Hilary doing? What are they into?
SH: “They are great! Hilary is now 15-months and Josselyn is 4-years-old. They’re both so bright and completely different personalities! Hilary goes head-first into everything – she has no fear! She will jump off everything and just go full-force ahead.
Josselyn is the cautious one and always considers safety first. It’s funny, I thought she was like that because I was an over-protective first-time mom. But then when Hilary came along and showed her daredevil personality at such a young age, I realized it’s just a part of who they both are. I’m constantly amazed as I watch them grow into their own.”
CBS: What are some of your favorite mommy memories with your girls?
SH: “There are so many, so I’ve actually decided to start writing down their special moments into a journal. I plan to give it to them when they’re older. Whether it’s something funny they just said, or a milestone, or a special day we’ve just had, I write it down and post it in their book. I’ve realized I’m not used to handwriting anymore, so I might resort to writing something quickly on my phone or on the computer and printing it off.
I just remember how special it felt to look back at the baby albums my mom made for me, and I want my girls to have that. Of course, my older sister has millions of photos of her every move and there’s barely any pictures of me, so I want to make sure Hilary has something to look back onto [laughs]!”
CBS: What is your favorite part of motherhood?
SH: “I love how my girls use the word ‘love.’ Both of them tell me they love me and it melts my heart. ‘I love you’ was Hilary’s first 3-sentence blurb. I will tell her ‘I love you’ and she replies now with ‘I yuv yu.’ And for Josselyn, ‘love’ was the second word she learned how to spell. The first was her name. Just hearing that word and feeling the unconditional love between us is beyond amazing.”
CBS: The last time we chatted, you opened up about mommy guilt. Even worse now that you have two?
SH: “Yes! But now I’m feeling guilt about the amount of one-on-one time I can spend with both my girls. A little while back, I started to see how profound the one-on-one time was for Josselyn. She would talk about our special time for weeks afterward, and I started to realize the importance of a little getaway with her — whether it’s to Minnesota to see my mother and sister, or a dinner date with just the two of us. But now I’m starting to sense that Hilary is craving that time with me as well. So now, there really isn’t enough time in my days!”
CBS: Are you going to try for a boy?
SH: “Right now three feels like a really big number! But never say never! My husband was a huge jock in college and I’m sure he’d love a boy, so we’ll see. Definitely no plans for that right now though!”
CBS: What’s up next for you?
SH: “I’ll be teaming up with Feeding America soon to launch a fundraiser for kids and families at-risk in the summer months. Summers can be so hard for so many families because kids are out of school and not getting the hot meal programs during the week. I’m a strong advocate for anti-hunger issues and I’m thrilled to team up with Feeding America for this great cause. Again, people are sometimes shocked to hear about the poverty and hunger issues that face millions of Americans. It’s not just an issue for people living in developing nations.”
