James Van Der Beek and his wife Kimberly are officially a family of seven!
The “Dawson’s Creek” alum announced the happy news that his wife had given birth to their fifth child, a daughter named Gwendolyn. Little Gwendolyn joins siblings, Joshua, 6, and daughters Olivia, 7, Annabel Leah, 4, and Emilia, 2.
James shared the happy news on Instagram on Father’s Day and wrote a touching caption alongside a series of snaps of his brood. In one photo his wife and his children are saying hello to their new baby sister. In another, James is bonding with his newborn child. And in several others, their happy kiddos are holding onto the baby.
He also used the photo caption to discuss the hot button issue of immigration in the United States right now.
“Thrilled to announce we welcomed a brand new baby girl into the world Friday morning, just in time for #FathersDay. These last few days, as I’ve enjoyed the privilege of making smoothies I know my older kids will like, making my wife red raspberry leaf tea to ease her uterine contractions, spending ‘boy time’ with my son and getting my two-year-old down for a nap in the way only I know how…I’ve been heart sick about something,” he wrote.
“As I write this, kids are being ripped from the arms of their parents. By our government. For the kid’s benefit? No – the opposite – as a purposeful display of cruelty to deter would-be illegal border crossers AND legal asylum seekers (it’s happening to both),” he said. “And it wouldn’t be honest to wax poetic about my new-baby bliss without speaking up against this atrocity.”
The U.S. government announced on Friday that 1,995 children were separated from 1,940 adults at the U.S.-Mexico border between April 19 and May 31, Reuters reported.
James continued to address the issue in his caption.
“Regardless of how you feel about immigration, or a wall, or this president…if we say we’re okay with our government using human rights violations as a deterrent or as a bargaining chip…what happens when we find ourselves on the wrong side of the agenda? Either in this administration or the next?” James said. “This should not be a political issue – it’s a human one. A crime against humanity is a crime against us all.”
“Oh, and @vanderkimberly – you’re a f–king earth goddess rock star and I’m as in awe of you as I am in love with you,” James wrote. “And our new baby’s name is Gwendolyn #HappyFathersDay everybody.”
The happy couple announced in February that they had another baby on the way.
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