September 10, 2009

Katherine Heigl Adopts Special Needs Baby From Korea

Katherine Heigl Adopts Special Needs Baby From KoreaKatherine Heigl talks all about her decision to adopt in a sit-down interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, airing on Friday (September 11). Here’s what the 30-year-old Grey’s Anatomy actress shared about 10-month-old baby Naleigh (a mix of her mom and sister’s names, Nancy and Leigh):

On Naleigh, who was born in Korea: “She was actually born the day before me in November which I thought was really serendipitous and just kind of like a sign. I realized just recently that I basically forfeited my birthday for the rest of my life.”

On how she got to adopt so quickly: “She is a special needs baby and because of that it all moved so much faster. They wanted to get her to us as quickly as possible.”

On her decision to adopt this way: “It’s been a big part of my life and my family. My sister is Korean and my parents adopted her back in the 70s and so I just always knew that this is something I wanted to do.”

On her husband, musician Josh Kelley: “I just wanted to make sure that I was marrying a guy who understands that this was going to have to happen. So about a year ago is when we said, ‘OK, let’s start the process,’ and the process is intense. It’s different but it isn’t, do you know what I mean? It’s just as intense I’m sure to have a baby biologically because you’re going through the whole physical sort of thing of it.”