Shay Mitchell‘s family just got a little bit bigger. On Sunday, June 5, Mitchell revealed the first photo of her second daughter, Rome, on Instagram. The day before, she confirmed to People that she and her partner of five years, Matte Babel, had welcomed their little one in late May. The couple are also parents to 2-year-old Atlas Noa.
Mitchell first announced she was expecting her second baby in February. The “Pretty Little Liars” actor shared the news in a bittersweet Instagram about the difficulties of balancing joy over a new addition to her family with the grief she felt over the loss of her grandmother.
“Saying goodbye to a loved one while simultaneously experiencing the joy of welcoming another into this world is the great cycle of life,” she captioned her post. “It is also my most challenging season to date. I can’t help but think this was the universe’s plan all along, knowing I would need other worldly joy to cushion the blow of losing one of the most important people in my life. Yet, this is proof that love, life and loss can profoundly exist all at the same time.”
The actor went on to share how comforting it was to know her baby and her beloved grandmother shared a cosmic connection. “Gram, I miss you every day. Little one, we are so excited to meet you,” she wrote. “I breathe a sigh of peace knowing you two are already connected in such a cosmic way.”
Now Mitchell has revealed that Rome and her grandmother will share an even more special connection through the baby’s name. “Losing the most important person in my life in the same year I welcomed my second daughter has shifted everything for me, but one thing remains steady in my soul – I’m certain they spent time together and that brings me peace and joy. We’re so happy you’re here Rome, named after my best friend, my soulmate, my “person,” my Grandma Romaine.”
Mitchell has always been candid about her parenting journey. The “You” star previously opened up about experiencing a pregnancy loss in 2018 and dealing with prenatal depression while she was expecting Atlas. While she shares her struggles, Mitchell also shares the joy that being a mom brings her, too.
“Truth is I had no idea I was capable of loving anything like this before you arrived,” Shay wrote on Instagram after the birth of her first daughter. “You wonder if that’s just something people say, but it’s as if the chemical makeup of my entire body and soul changed the minute we met.”
Now that she and Babel have officially welcomed their second baby to the world, Mitchell will no doubt be sharing even more relatable mom moments in the future.