Three months after welcoming son Kaius, Derek Jeter and Hannah Jeter are giving Us insight into their lives as a family of six.
“I think the biggest adjustment was going from two to three. Personally, that I think was hard, but ask us in a few months,” Hannah, 33, exclusively told Us Weekly during a joint interview with Derek, 49. “He’s only 3 months old, so because he doesn’t move around much, I’ll probably say something different [down the line], but it’s a lot.”
Hannah added their two oldest daughters — Bella, 6, and Story, 4 — “love” being big sisters.
“Their youngest sister [River] is only a year and a half, so they’ve had a lot of practice. If anything, too much practice,” the model joked. “So they just think he’s like a baby doll and they’re like, ‘No, no, we got this!’ It’s really sweet to see.”
Derek told Us that he’s anticipating a “different dynamic” in their family after their son was born via surrogate in May.
“I have a younger sister, no brothers. And I have two nephews, but [Hannah grew up with] a brother, so she’s been around it. So for me, it’s all new. So I go from [having] a sister and three daughters and now all of a sudden, here’s this little man in the world,” the former New York Yankees shortstop said with a smile. “So it’s going to be interesting. It’s going to be fun experiencing things for the first time with him, different activities, different interests, but all our kids are different and they’re all special in their own right. So I’m looking forward to it.”
As Bella and Story get older, they are taking after both of their parents depending “on their mood,” per Derek.
“When they’re quiet, calm and listening, then it reminds me of me. And then when they’re loud and whiny, it’s a lot like Hannah,” he joked, making his wife laugh.
While Derek can admit that he’s hoping his four kids are interested in sports, he made it clear he’s going to support his daughters and son no matter what they choose to do.
“I guess the best way I could put it is I could care less what my kid’s ultimate career path is. I just want them to find something they’re passionate about,” he explained. “Our oldest wants to be a photographer. She likes taking pictures. I would like them to play sports because I think sports teach you a lot of life lessons — whether it’s setting goals and it’s working hard, it’s accountability, it’s responsibility. So I’d like for them to participate in sports in some capacity, but I would never push my kids into playing sports. I just want them to find what they’re passionate about and I’ll be here. We’ll [both] be here to support ’em along the way.”
When asked whether he’s sought advice from fellow athletes about navigating the inevitable pressure for their kids to succeed on the field if they do play sports, Derek noted, “It’s an interesting question.”
“Most of my close friends were working or playing at the time, so they didn’t have a chance to coach their kids. But it’s tough. I think a lot of times when you’re dealing with sports, you’re not really dealing with the kids, you’re dealing with the kids’ parents,” he said. “They put so much pressure on their children to be so great at 5, 6 and 7 years old, I don’t really understand it. I just want my kids to have fun. I think it’s impossible to do well unless you’re enjoying yourself and you’re having fun. So I want my kids to find something, like I said, they’re passionate about, but most importantly, that they enjoy doing.”
As for those unique baby names, Hannah told Us that she didn’t have time to go into “detail with each one,” while Derek quipped, “Basically, she’s saying that she came up with these names with no reasoning behind it at all.”
Derek and Hannah wed in July 2016. The spouses, who are promoting their partnership with Jeep, told Us that they keep date night simple with dinners for two.
“We were fortunate because our kids go to sleep fairly early. They’re pretty good sleepers. So they’re basically down from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., so we go to early dinners. If it was up to me, I’d have a 5 o’clock reservation,” Derek told Us before Hannah argued that they do often eat that early.
Derek continued, “We have the 5 o’clock reservation when our kids are with us. But when it’s just us, it’s usually 7 [or] 7:30.”
The twosome also turned their recent Jeep campaign shoot into a special day together sans kids.
“He’s not easy to work with, I can tell you that. He doesn’t take direction,” Hannah joked. “I’m just kidding. But no, we had a good time and we had no responsibilities that day. We made our parents pick up our kids and it was a long day, but it was just us and it was good. It was fun.”
The couple have been working with Jeep since last October.
“We have a big family, so we spend most of our days and nights in the car, whether it’s school drop off, pickup, activities, sporting events, and we have actually tried out a few SUVs. And by far — I’m not just saying it by far — Jeep has been the perfect fit for us as a family,” Derek said.
He concluded that the duo “couldn’t be happier” with the partnership, telling Us: “It’s authentic to where we are in our lives right now. And we’ve always valued authentic partnerships and long-term relationships.”
The Jeep Wagoneer “Drove All Night” campaign with Hannah and Derek officially drops on September 12.
