Where Heather Rae and Tarek El Moussa Stand With Having More Kids
If you ask Heather Rae El Moussa, her and Tarek El Moussa's family could still undergo a renovation.
Weeks after the Selling Sunset alum revealed she and her husband of nearly four years had turned to a couples therapist to help them work through their differing ideas about expanding their brood, she shared they're still trying flip each other's stance.
"We're in the see what happens phase," the 37-year-old shared in an exclusive interview with E! News. With son Tristan celebrating his second birthday this past January, "I have been vocal, probably more than my husband would like, that I would love to have another baby."
Meanwhile, Tarek—who's also dad to Taylor, 14, and Brayden, 9, with ex-wife Christina Haack—isn't on the market for added stress.
"We are very busy, and we're nonstop," Heather acknowledged, "and there's a lot of chaos and we're juggling a lot. So, we're in talks."
Admittedly, the conversation has been overhauled a time or two.
Ahead of her and Tarek's October 2021 vows, Heather was fairly confident she didn't want to birth any children.
"I was lucky enough to be become a stepmom to Taylor and Brayden six years ago," The Flipping El Moussas star detailed, "and I fell in love with them. And then that made me want to have my own."
And once she flipped her stance on that, she continued, "having Tristan made me realize, like, 'I love being a mom. I love being a stepmom. It brings so much joy to my life that, why not want more?'"
To Heather, her brood is better than a multi-million dollar mansion with an ocean view, noting how even the most jam-packed of days are made better with a quick snuggle from her son.
"These kids are just so full of life and innocence and happiness and giggles it just melts me," she explained. "I could be having the craziest day, and I come home and Tristan runs and hugs me, the kids hug me, and I'm like, 'Oh, that's my zen; that's my peace.'"
Though she's well aware any actual tranquilty is in short supply now that she's got an avid talker on her hands.
With Tristan mastering new words and even "putting sentences together," she's often left floored with her budding conversationalist and his sweet observations.
"I think as adults, you forget about the fun of life sometimes," said Heather, "and having children brings you back to the excitement of life."
On the list of Tristan's favorite simple pleasures: The weekly visit from the garbage truck.
"It drives by," said Heather, "and it's, 'I love the wheels.' And everything melts in my heart. I'm just such a softy."
And should Tarek soften his stance on growing their fam, Heather is always ready with a few tricks to help make the juggle managable.
Mainly, snacks, for their nonstop, on-the-go lifestyle.
"I pack little coolers with the shakes, with some fruit, with some snacks," Heather said of her go-to Orgain kids plant protein shakes. "Being prepared is so important as a mom and making sure that you're not out somewhere and they're like, 'I'm hungry,' and you have to stop by fast food."
She also knows that a steady supply of protein keeps any hunger pains at bay.
"In general, if you load up on protein, especially in the morning, it helps curb those cravings throughout the day," Heather explained of the strategy that sees her nibbling on vegan ravioli and sipping her Orgain vegan nutrition shake. "And I've realized that with my body."
Most importantly, when it comes to running their businesses and their oceanfront home, "Communication is key," insisted Heather. For her, ensuring her partnership with Tarek remains a good investment means talking things out and "remembering why you fell in love."
As true best friends, "Tarek and I have fun together," said Heather, noting they make it a point to carve out at least 30 minutes a day to "just laugh together, have fun, remember the special moments."
Because their best asset as teammates, she continued, is "learning when each other is having a very rough day, or needs the other one to just suck it up, put a smile on your face and be there for each other."
So far it's proven to be a winning strategy. The proof is in these sweet family photos.
"First ever Easter with our bunny," Heather wrote on Instagram as her baby boy wore Janie and Jack. "Tristan's loving it so far and as if it couldn't get any cuter… look at his outfits."
Heather marked Tristan's first month with a cute photo shoot.
Referencing their shared initials, Tarek captioned this father-son picture: "Two T's in a pod."
Reflecting on her baby's first month, Heather shared, "Last day of February and it's been a month of love, mamahood adjustments, work days from home, breastfeeding ups & downs, the best newborn snuggles, sleepless nights & lots and lots of family time."
Celebrating Tristan's 2-week-old milestone, Heather captioned this sweet mother-son portrait, "Baby Tristan Jay… the obsession is real. my little love."
"It's love week and we're definitely feeling it over here," Heather wrote on Instagram a day before Valentine's Day 2023. "Lots and lots of kissing, snuggling, skin on skin, and holding our lover boy… we can't get enough."
The Selling Sunset star joked that she's been in "mama hibernation mode" after welcoming Tristan.
Posting a picture of Tristan wearing a top reading "New to the El Moussa Crew," Heather wrote, "Mom life is staring at him non stop because I can't get enough. The moment I held him in my arms he became my world."
Tarek wrote alongside a photo of his older children with ex-wife Christina Haack: "OMG….I have 3 kids!!!! How did this happen?"
According to the couple, Tristan was born on Jan. 31, 2023, at 6:55 a.m. PT. He arrived weighing 7 lbs., 7 oz.
"Our baby boy is here," Heather and Tarek shared while announcing Tristan's arrival. "Mama & baby are happy, healthy, tired but doing well. Our hearts are so happy."
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