Arnold Schwarzenegger is enjoying his new role as a grandfather, but there's one task his daughter isn't quite ready to let him take on yet.
During an interview with the actor and former politician, Jimmy Kimmel asked if the 73-year-old is a hands-on grandfather and whether he's been babysitting or changing diapers. Schwarzenegger's response was equal parts honest and comedic and delightful to watch.
"I did all of that when I had kids. When my kids were growing up, I participated and it was a lot of fun to do that. But I have never changed diapers on Lyla because I think that Katherine is the expert gatekeeper," he said.
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The former California governor went on to explain that his 31-year-old daughter, like many new mothers, has settled into a routine and sometimes has a hard time handing her daughter off to family members.
"Whenever you touch the baby, she says, 'Oh my God, don't hold her like this,'" he said. "I say, 'Katherine, come on now, I've held enough children in my hands. I know exactly what I'm doing. I'm an expert at that stuff.' And she just freaks out. I think it's natural."
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When the new mom and her husband, actor Chris Pratt, welcomed their first child in August 2020, Schwarzenegger became a grandfather and he has been enjoying every minute of it, calling the experience "fantastic."
"The only thing is it makes me feel old when you think about 'Now I have a grandchild.' But it's really great having a grandchild. It's a beautiful, beautiful baby, baby Lyla. And I'm very proud of Katherine and Chris. They're doing really great together as parents," he said.
Schwarzenegger has several farm animals at his house, including a mini donkey and a horse, and Kimmel noted that Lyla will likely be thrilled when she realizes her grandfather lives "in a petting zoo."
"She has already been over here several times in the house and she sat on top of Lulu and on top of Whiskey and I think she's going to be a great horseback rider," he said.
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Just months before Lyla was born, Schwarzenegger was already a proud grandfather-to-be and chatted with Jimmy Fallon about her impressive gene pool.
“It is part Kennedy and part, you know, the sweet gene pool things you can do, the Kennedy, the Schwarzenegger and Pratt. I mean, we can do anything. We can go and solve the Cuban Missile Crisis. We can go and kill predators with our bare hands and we go and train the dinosaurs,” he said. “That is a lot of the power here.”
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