Courtesy Artem Chigvintsev/Instagram
Artem Chigvintsev Reveals the First Words He and Nikki Bella Are Teaching Son Matteo
So sweet! Artem Chigvintsev explained why his and Nikki Bella’s son Matteo’s first words probably won’t be “mom” or “dad.” The Dancing With the Stars pro said he and his fiancée already made a plan for when their 2-month-old begins speaking.
“We decided not to teach him ‘mom’ and ‘dad’ as his first word because we’re so competitive with each other. Nicole’s like, why don’t we teach him ‘I love you,’” the Russian stud, 38, told reporters after the ‘80s-themed episode of the reality dance competition show on Monday, October 12.
He continued, “I’m not kidding to you, he’s obviously not saying it in words, but [there’s the] intonation of him saying that after we say ‘I love you.’ But he is the most adorable thing ever. Nicole will probably hate me for revealing this, but I’m so happy that I’m like … You know what? It is what it is.”
It’s no secret Artem and the Total Bellas star, 36, are completely smitten over their bundle of joy, who was born on July 31. “Hold me forever and never let me go, my Matteo,” Nikki wrote to her baby boy via Instagram on September 27 while sharing a photo of his tiny hand holding her finger. The mother and son have been spending a lot of time one-on-one because Artem is currently competing on season 29 of Dancing With the Stars with partner Kaitlyn Bristowe.
That’s not to say parenthood has been smooth sailing since Artem went back to work. Nikki opened up about struggling with postpartum depression and feeling “invisible” during an episode of “The Bellas Podcast” with sister Brie Bella on September 30.
“I didn’t realize at week seven [postpartum] you kind of come out of your baby blues and … you [come to] two different paths,” explained the Total Divas alum. “You go the path of being healthy or you go down the path of being depressed. That depression path can be a really dark, deep hole, and I was starting to feel invisible.”
She admitted she started feeling “lonely” and “unloved” as her man was busy at work in Los Angeles and then would go into full dad mode when he got home.
“Artem would come home, he’d be distracted — and it’s not even his fault, men don’t know — but they come home and it’s like, ‘How’s the baby? How’s Matteo? I miss him, let me hold him let me kiss him,’” she explained. “As the woman, as the mom, you stand there and you’re like, ‘What about me? I want someone to come home and ask me how I’m doing and kiss me all over and swaddle me up and rock me.’”
Nikki said she and her man talked things over and seem to be in a much better place. It’s clear they definitely see eye to eye when it comes to raising their sweet son!
