Millie Bobby Brown’s world was flipped upside down with one phone call.
Setting the scene, the Stranger Things star shared that “the most magical phone call” came in, informing her and her husband Jake Bongiovi that their new life as a family of three was about to begin.
“Getting the call, I mean, I will never forget it,” Brown, whose baby girl joined her and Bongiovi, 24, in August 2025, shared on the July 13 episode of On Purpose with Jay Shetty. “It was the most surreal feeling and yet we both knew in that moment that we had found each other. Like, oh my goodness, this is our girl, 100 percent, no doubt.”
And the 22-year-old explained that the adoption process was quite arduous, with the hardest part being the wait for the call.
“The process is long and rightfully so,” she continued. “It’s a great process and, you know, in fact, it’s very thorough. I would say that’s probably the longest part, is just getting through all of that.”
But Brown had support throughout the process, connecting with fellow adoptive parents who gave her advice and words of encouragement as she awaited news about her baby.
“We were talking to someone, another adoptive mother,” she recalled. “And it’s like, there are two ways to have a baby, one through your stomach and one through your heart, and my girl was through my heart.”
Although she did not capture footage of the sweet moment she became a mom, Brown said that fact surprisingly made the call even more meaningful.
“I think there’s something so special about it because my whole life’s recorded,” she emphasized. “My husband and I will never forget those words, where we were, what we were doing, the feeling. And I think in so many ways, that shouldn’t be recorded. It’s almost like you had to be there.”
The Enola Holmes actress has been open about her decision to adopt and how fulfilling it has been to parent her baby girl. Although she wouldn’t rule out carrying a child in the future, she has previously explained her childhood dream of adopting a kid.
“For me, adoption was always a part of my future,” Brown told Kylie Kelce on the June 11 episode of Not Gonna Lie. “Adoption is love. Adoption is forever.”
A lot has changed since Brown and Bongiovi tied the knot and became parents. Keep reading to see how their relationship has evolved…
June 2021: First Instagram Pic
Millie Bobby Brown sparked dating rumors with Jake Bongiovi after he posted this photo with the caption, "bff <3"
November 2021: Never Say Goodbye
The couple officially confirmed their romance with this PDA pic.
November 2021: Bon Jovi 2.0
"We're starting a band," Bongiovi—the son of Jon Bon Jovi and his wife Dorothea Bongiovi—wrote on Instagram, "send name ideas."
December 2021: Merry Christmas
The Stranger Things star and the actor celebrated their first Chirstmas together in 2021.
December 2021: Happy Holidays
Brown and Bongiovi snapped a sweet selfie in front of the Christmas tree.
February 2022: Milestone Birthday
Brown matched Bongiovi's blonde 'do while celebrating her 18th birthday.
March 2022: Red Carpet Official
The couple made their first red carpet appearance as a couple during the 2022 BAFTA Film Awards in London.
May 2022: Stranger Things Premiere
Brown and Bongiovi were twinning in black and white at the premiere of Stranger Things season four in New York City.
January 2023: A New Year
Brown shared photos of the couple in celebration of the new year, writing on Instagram, "endlessly in love with the year I've had."
January 2023: Picture Perfect
One snapshot showed a photo booth strip of the loved-up couple.
January 2023: Ride or Die
Brown captioned her New Year's Day post, "grateful for my friends, family, donkey (bernard), my doggies, my puppies teeth, and my partner for life."
February 2023: Golden Birthday
Bongiovi marked Brown's 19th birthday on Feb. 19, 2023, with a sweet tribute, writing on Instagram, "Another year around the sun together."
February 2023: Dream Girl
The sweet post included photos of the actor with who he called "the girl of my dreams."
February 2023: Making a Splash
The pair's silly side was depicted in one image of Bongiovi and Brown clowning around in the pool
February 2023: Pucker Up
Brown and Bongiovi snuggle up in a romantic selfie.
April 2023: Engaged
Brown announced the couple's engagement on Instagram by quoting Taylor Swift's song "Lover," writing, "I've loved you three summers now, honey, I want 'em all."
July 2023: Six Flags Visit
Brown and Bongiovi enjoyed a day out with her younger sister Ava Brown and friends at the Six Flags Over Georgia theme park.
September 2023: Summer Nights
Bongiovi shared this pic in the final days of summer 2023.
November 2023: Glamour Women of the Year
The two appeared at the event, where Brown was honored as one of two Global Women of the Year.
February 2024: Happy Birthday, Millie
Bongiovi shared a tribute to his partner for her 20th birthday, writing, "Happy birthday my beautiful fiancéI love you so much. Big year ahead."
March 2024: Anniversary
Brown shared this tribute to Jake on their third dating anniversary.
May 2024: Married
After three years of dating, the duo tied the knot in a private ceremony.
August 2025: Expanding Their Family
Over a year after their nuptials, Brown and Bongiovi shared they had a new arrival.
"This summer, we welcomed our sweet baby girl through adoption," the couple announced on Instagram. "We are beyond excited to embark on this beautiful next chapter of parenthood in both peace and privacy."
They concluded, "And then there were 3."
September 2026: Baby No. 2
Brown and Bongiovi announced the arrival of their second baby—a son—by sharing this photo.