Parenting

Emily Blunt and John Krasinski on what parenting includes: ‘an existential crisis'

The low-profile couple is raising two daughters

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Emily Blunt and John Krasinski attend the 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza on February 26, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Once upon a time, Emily Blunt ("Oppenheimer," "A Quiet Place") met John Krasinski ("The Office," "Jack Ryan") and cooked him Ina Garten's famous "engagement chicken."

Not only did the couple eventually get engaged, but they've welcomed two adorable daughters into their brood. Blunt and Krasinski maintain a fairly low profile and don't share many family photos or details. But in July, Blunt announced that she was taking a break from acting to focus on her family.

On the “Table for Two With Bruce Bozzi” podcast, Blunt said, "I just feel there are cornerstones to their day that are so important when they’re little. And it’s, ‘Will you wake me up? Will you take me to school? Will you pick me up? Will you put me to bed?’ And I just need to be there for all of them for a good stretch. And I just felt that in my bones.”

Like many mothers, Blunt has battles with mom guilt. She told Bozzi, "You’re just prone to feeling bad for, God forbid, wanting something outside of being a mother. I am huge advocate for it — I’m a huge advocate for women being ambitious. It’s just dreams with purpose, it’s not an ugly word.”

Blunt and Krasinski have joked that their daughters don’t really know what their parents do for a living. In fact, Krasinski suspects that his kids think he's an accountant. He told Stephen Colbert that there's likely a specific reason for that.

Krasinski explained, "I was walking [the girls] to school one day, and this guy came up, and he was very nice, he came up and he went, ‘John! From “The Office!”‘ I went, ‘Yeah,’ and he goes, ‘Oh, my God, it’s so good to see you,’ and I said, ‘Thanks,’ and he kept walking.

Hazel

Krasinski officially announced his entry into the "dad club" on Feb. 16, 2014. “Wanted to let the news out directly. Emily and I are so incredibly happy to welcome our daughter Hazel into the world today! Happy bday!” he tweeted.

Though he was delighted by his daughter, he admitted to People that becoming a father threw him into an "existential crisis."

“I went through some really serious stuff,” he said. “There is a mirror that is held up to me now. You have someone watching you. You have to lead by example.”

Blunt told Jimmy Fallon that what Hazel was a young toddler, she had a bit of an English accent, which Blunt loved. She feigned disappointment at the fact that Hazel ultimately began saying, "waaaaterr" instead of "wuhhtah."

Violet

Krasinski again took to Twitter to announce the birth of his second daughter on July 4, 2016: “What better way to celebrate the 4th... than to announce our 4th family member!!!” the excited father, who was 36 at the time, tweeted. “2 weeks ago we met our beautiful daughter Violet #Happy4th"

Blunt discovered that her second pregnancy was a bit different than her first.

“I think we are more laid-back this time,” the actress explained on TODAY. “We know what to expect. It is the great unknown with the first child.”

But a second pregnancy has its own set of challenges. “The first pregnancy is the most self-indulgent thing in the world because you get massages and prenatal yoga and hypnotherapy CDs,” she told C Magazine. “During this one I forget that I’m even pregnant. I’m hoisting my 2-year-old around!”

The parents were over the moon with their family of four. Shortly after Violet's birth, Krasinski talked to People about 2 1/2-year-old Hazel's relationship with her newborn sister.

“It’s a great age because she’s still young enough to not feel competitive with the baby, but still old enough to recognize how adorable the baby is. I think she’s in heaven,” said the proud dad. “When Hazel gives a hug to Violet, right there in that moment you can see this huge relationship that will last much longer than I’m around … it’s so beautiful.”

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:

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