Reader’s Digest has a wonderful interview with Angelina Jolie where she talks about Brad, and of course the kids. Excerpts from that interview.

angelina

Angelina on getting together with Brad: I met this amazing person, and we realized we had very similar views on how we wanted to live our lives. It’s happened so quickly, with so many children. Yesterday, picking up the kids from school, Brad turned around in the car, and there were the three of them. He couldn’t stop laughing. We love them and are having a great time.

Having Shiloh was actually planned: Before I met Brad, I always said I was happy never to have a child biologically. He told me he hadn’t given up on that thought. Then, a few months after Z came home, I saw Brad with her and Mad, and I realized how much he loved them, and a biological child would not in any way be a threat. So I said, ‘I want to try.’

Pax loves his newfound freedom: Pax is almost three and a half and has never made a real decision for himself because everybody does everything in a group in the orphanage. There were all these things he’d never had. The first time I gave him a bath, he was suddenly laughing, out of his mind. He took five baths in one day. We’d be talking and he’d take his clothes off and run into the bathroom.

How is Pax adjusting to his new life?: The first two days, he cried a lot. I hired a translator, and he would explain what was going on. The first night, I slept alone with him. I was expecting him to wake up and scream, but he woke and just stared at me. I handed him a stuffed animal, and we walked around the room pointing at things. By day three, he didn’t want me to put him down. I think he got used to the reality that somebody loves you and that’s what a mommy is.

Angelina & Brad

Don’t worry, each of the Jolie-Pitt kids have their own special time with mommy and daddy: We had a long talk with Mad about the fact that his brother is going to be scared and that Mommy is going to have to give him attention. Then we’ve tried to figure out a lot of private time for each of them. When everybody goes to bed, we give Mad time. When everybody is at school, we give Shiloh time. In between, Z and Pax each get special time. And on Sundays, we have a big family sleep, when the boys get in bed with us and we watch a movie. It started with Mad, then Pax, and now Z is desperate to move into the bed. We’re talking about having to build a bigger bed!

Brad makes everyone feel safe: I think Pax, after seeing how much Zahara and Mad and Shi love Brad, understands that he’s his daddy. Everybody seems to be safe in his arms. He makes everybody laugh. He helps everybody.

It is true that they adopted Pax so Maddox would have a brother who looked like him: Something changed for me with Shiloh. We had Mad and Z, and neither looked like Mommy or Daddy. Then suddenly somebody in the house looks like Mommy and Daddy. It became clear to us that it might be important to have somebody around who is similar to the other children so they have a connection. Mad’s been very excited that his brother is from Asia.

Why they chose to adopt a toddler: As kids get older, it’s harder for them to be adopted. I wasn’t prepared a few years ago, but I felt now our home was stable and I could balance that.

Who’s the disciplinarian in the family?: When it comes to the boys, it’s Brad, and with the girls, it’s me. It’s not intentional, but Z can pretty much get anything she wants from her dad. Brad’s like a strong father with the boys.

More kids?: Yeah, yeah. More biological. More adopted.