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Ada Nicodemou: I'm having a baby

Ada Nicodemou with husband Chrys


Overwhelmed by the phone call from her doctor, Ada Nicodemou was crying so hard she couldn’t keep driving – but they were tears of joy, not sorrow.

At last the Home and Away favourite’s dearest wish, to have a child with husband Chrys Xipolitas, is coming true. On the top-rating show, her feisty character Leah is a loving and devoted mother. Now Ada is finally three months pregnant in real life, following a year of disappointment and her first attempt at IVF.

‘We are very blessed,’ says Ada, 34, softly stroking her swelling stomach and smiling at Chrys. ‘A baby is something we always wanted from the beginning – it’s one of the things we first loved about each other – and the time must have been right.
‘We’d been trying for a year all up, I guess, and I was so focused on getting pregnant I couldn’t think of anything else. Chrys kept telling me to relax, but I’ve wanted a baby my whole life. It’s all I’ve been talking about for years!

‘In the end, IVF was seriously the best thing we ever did –because it took away all that stress. It doesn’t usually happen first go, and we didn’t want to get our hopes up too much, but we were very lucky.

‘That’s why it was so emotional when I found out I was pregnant. It’s just beautiful that it has finally happened. It’s the only thing I’ve ever been so sure about.’

The good news arrived, via a call from the Genea IVF clinic, when the Please Marry My Boy host was out driving by herself. ‘I just started bawling my eyes out. I couldn’t speak, which is unusual to say the least, and I had to pull over for a while. But it’s OK everyone, I was using the hands-free phone!’

Her much-loved mother Jenny was first to hear the exciting baby bulletin, since 37-year-old Chrys was briefly out of contact. ‘I had to tell someone. I just couldn’t keep it to myself,’ laughs Ada, who has been suffering from ‘all-day morning sickness’, sparked by a mysterious aversion to toothpaste.

‘I’m a bit tired as well, because I’ve been working on Home and Away and Please Marry My Boy at the same time. Full on! But I haven’t really had time to notice any of the bad stuff, being so busy and so happy.’ There’s already a suitcase crammed with toys and tiny clothes at the couple’s southern Sydney home. Both clucky, they have been collecting infant outfits ever since their big fat Greek wedding five years ago.

To bring their baby good fortune, Ada is carrying a gold coin from the family’s traditional New Year cake. Tucked snugly in her purse, the lucky charm went along with the couple to the first ultrasound, at seven weeks.‘We got a bit tearful, seeing our baby for the first time,’ admits affable Chrys, alias ‘Zippo’, a successful chef who runs his own restaurant, Island. ‘It was moving around, wouldn’t sit still. It’s got ADHD like its dad, I reckon! It’s just a little nugget.’

For the time being, Little Nugget’s sex is unknown – and it will stay that way, according to the ecstatic mum-to-be. ‘I actually had a dream about it the other night, so we’ll see if I turn out to be right...

‘Chrys wants to find out the sex, but he can’t keep a secret and I’d rather have a surprise. To be honest, I don’t mind either way as long as it’s healthy.’ The Gold Logie nominee and Dancing with the Stars winner hopes the baby will inherit her personality, plus Chrys’ eyes and skin. He wants it to have: ‘My good looks, my sense of humour, my height and Ada’s ears – she’s got cute little ears.’

But joking aside, both think their other half will make a great parent. ‘Ada will be an amazing mother, really nurturing,’ grins her doting husband, who treats her like a princess, cooking up meals and snacks to satisfy her craving for pastas and rice pudding. ‘She likes to make out she’s going to be one of those really strict, disciplined mums, but in reality she’s a big softie so we’ll have to find a balance.’ For her part, Ada believes Chrys is ‘some kind of baby whisperer’. Already father to a nine-year-old daughter, Taylah, from a previous relationship, he soon charms every child who comes into his orbit.

No surprise, then, that he is pitching for more babies in the future. ‘I’d love to have enough for an indoor soccer team one day,’ he chuckles. ‘Certainly we need a boy and a girl and we’ll just have to keep trying until we achieve it! ‘I grew up the youngest of five, so in my view a full house is
a great house! I’m really looking forward to increasing the clan.

I just wish we didn’t have to wait another 27 weeks!’ Witnessing their contentment today, it’s hard to believe that Ada and Chrys’ marriage hit a rough patch back in 2010, partly as a result of his battle with depression.

‘You know, everything happens for a reason,’ says pint-sized Ada. ‘This is the right time for us to have a baby. We’ve been through some difficulties and come out all the stronger. ‘And it’s so lovely to have some happy news to share with everyone at last.’

By Jenny Brown
Photos: Nigel Wright