AFL golden couple Nic Naitanui and Brittany Bown have revealed they are expecting a baby boy at a lavish baby shower in a Crystal Villa at Crown Perth on Saturday.
The Eagles ruckman and his psychotherapist partner of over two years revealed the news to their close friends and family at the intimate event.
Naitanui and Bown’s family members were in attendance, as well as Bown’s fellow WAG friends including Dani Shuey and Aymee Redden.
The guests were treated to free-flowing champagne and a decadent gourmet spread, as they overlooked the Perth skyline.
Their baby boy is due to arrive in late September.
The pair first shared the pregnancy news in an exclusive STM interview, where they opened up about their shared joy in embarking on the next chapter of their relationship together.
“We were both stoked and super surprised, we had expected a bit more of a journey (trying to fall pregnant),” she said.
“I think culture will play a big part (in raising our child),” Naitanui, 32, added.
“I guess growing up in Australia, a big thing that I haven’t let go of is my Fijian heritage and my background there. So for me, I think it’d be good to teach our child Fijian. I’d love my kids to be bilingual and speak both languages. And also just have a sense of understanding of where they come from, and what’s come before.”
STM wellness columnist Bown, 28, admitted that Naitanui’s relaxed outlook on life provides her with a sense of relief and confidence ahead of their journey as parents together.
“Nic is so fun, and I think he reminds me that sometimes that’s the best part of life,” she said
“I feel very comfortable going into parenthood knowing our child is always going to have someone to play with and make them laugh.
“He’s also not a panicker. He he’ll say ‘oh well, we’ll sleep later’, or ‘we’ll handle it’. I know as things come our way, if I’m stressed, he’s the type of person who will be OK, he will say it’s not a big deal and calm the whole situation down.
Father-to-be Naitanui mirrored Bown’s sentiment, saying his pilates instructor partner will be “perfect”.
“I think she’ll be perfect. Ella she’s pretty good around children and has a very caring nature. So I think she’ll fit perfectly in the role of being a mother,” he revealed.
The lovebirds’ anticipated due date comes at the pointy end of AFL season, although the Eagles star has a perspective on the bigger picture of life.
“(At the club) we always talk about the rollercoaster, you don’t get too carried away over the highs or too sad when there are lows,” he said.
“A lot of guys have different life experiences throughout their journey, whether it’s birth or death or things like that.
“Footy is a big part of your life, but it’s not the whole thing… it’s something that’s really important to me but at the same time, there’s a lot of things that happen away from the footy field that mean just as much. ”
Marriage is on the cards, but the couple is in “no rush”.
“We’ve got a lot of room for a baby in our lives right now … the other stuff will happen but we’re not going to rush into it.”
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