Although her second pregnancy is turning out to be much more difficult than her first, AS THE WORLD TURNS' Kelley Menighan Hensley (Emily) knows that it all will be worth it once the baby finally is born. "It's just a different pregnancy," she says, groping for the right words. "It's hard to explain."
Certainly, continuing to perform on ATWT while simultaneously caring for 3-year-old daughter Sophie May isn't helping matters for Hensley. "I go to work," she explains, "and then I don't come home and nap, I come home and I'm a mom. So it's double duty."
"Children Need Two Parents"
Hensley also was on her own around the house because husband Jon Hensley (Holden) was laid up for nearly a month following ACL replacement surgery on his knee. "I had a taste of what it was like to be a single parent for three weeks," she sighs. "That was tough."
It was during this time that she realized how difficult it was just taking care of the little things in life. "If I had to go to the grocery store one more time, or take out the garbage... " she says with a chuckle. But luckily, Jon will be up and around long before their newest addition comes home from the hospital. "Oh yeah," she says hopefully, "he'll be fine."
"Sophie Likes It Now, But... "
The couple aren't the only ones eagerly anticipating the new arrival — Sophie May can't wait either! "She always says to me, 'Mommy, when is it going to come out?' and, 'I want to see it, Mommy!'" Kelley says with a smile.
But the actress is also realistic about how things could possibly change. "I think it's going to be a different story when [the baby] arrives," she admits. "Sophie's used to being the center of the universe — of our universe — and she's going to have to learn to share time, and it's going to be hard.
"From what people have told me about siblings, it's not an easy adjustment," she continues. "Maybe I'll be wrong. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised by her behavior."
"It's Too Much For Me To Think About"
But even with the entire family bonding, Hensley knows that the roughest times still may lie ahead, when she must return to work. "I'm beside myself trying to figure out what that's going to be like," she confesses. "I can't imagine. Leaving my one little baby at home is so hard for me, but to leave my other one... I don't know how I'm going to do it."
Still, one of the perks of working in daytime is the ever-changing schedule, so it's rare that both parents find themselves on the set at the same time. "That's the beauty of what we do," Hensley smiles. "Jon's at home most of the time when I'm not. I'm just hoping everything falls into place. We'll just juggle a little bit more."
And in the end, when she's holding that bundle of joy in her arms, Hensley knows that she'll have Jon and Sophie May by her side, and everything will be just fine. "I'm sure I'll figure it out," she beams. "I've got good help." — Chris Eades
Kelley Menighan Hensley
