For any relationship, the decision to have children is one of the biggest a loving couple can face. It's a big commitment that can make or break any partnership - when two people want different things, it can be hard to continue.
But the story of Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes shows that sometimes, that decision not to have children isn't necessarily set in stone. In an interview with Women's Health, Mendes, who has two children with Gosling, said that she didn't want to have children at all.
"It was the furthest thing from my mind," she said, admitting that she didn't quite picture herself as a mother, even though she's got a four-year-old and a two-year-old to contend with now. But sometimes, it's not about the kids themselves, but the one you'll be having the children with.
That's certainly the case with Eva Mendes.
"Ryan Gosling happened," she explained, and from then on, the idea of kids was pretty straightforward. "I mean, falling in love with him. Then it made sense for me to have…not kids, but his kids. It was very specific to him."
"We're just starting to get out of survival mode," Mendes explained. "I'm starting to feel like a person again." She also revealed that for a while after her first baby was born, her focus shifted, and it took her a long time to build the motivation to be in films once more.
"I felt a lack of ambition, if I can be honest," Mendes revealed. "I feel more ambitious in the home right now than I do in the workplace."
"Every day is such a learning experience -- they challenge you in so many ways. Like, I'm their mom. I have to rise up, and hopefully, most of the time I do, but sometimes it's definitely maddening."
Eva Mendes has opened up about motherhood before - here's her talking to Ellen about becoming a new mom back in 2015:Eva Mendes was also quizzed on how she'd handle the delicate balancing act of being mother to two young children in Esmerelda and Amada, as well as being a Hollywood actress on the red carpet. Mendes, who was raised by a single mother, explained:
"It's definitely a concern. Not only are we in the industry, but the whole fame component is super scary when you try to raise your kids. What I try to emphasize is that I don't let them see me put attention to how I dress.
"They've never seen me get ready for something; they've never seen me at work. Which is fine, for whoever wants to do it that way, but the way I keep it normal is by not letting them see me in these situations. I'm just Mom. And I'm more than happy to just be Mom."
Even though she's been out of the movies for a while now, according to Women's Health, Eva Mendes will be returning to film projects at some point in the future. But for now, she's enjoying being a mom - and before Ryan Gosling happened, that didn't seem like it could be a possibility at all.
