Choosing the right name for your child can be one of life’s most daunting tasks. But almost 12 months after settling on ‘Margot’ for their daughter, Sam McMillan and his partner, Rebecca James, reckon they definitely made the right pick!
WATCH: Sam Mac makes his daughter, Margot laugh. Article continues after the video.
The couple went with the moniker as they love that it means ‘pearl’ in French. And as a clearly smitten Sam, 42, tells us, “She’s our little pearl, that’s for sure. It was a beautiful fit.”
New Idea is catching up with the Sunrise weatherman and his impossibly cute family ahead of Father’s Day. With Margot arriving last year on September 11, it’s the first time they are getting to celebrate the incredible dad that Sam is.
“Sam’s just morphed into the most amazing dad,” Bec tells us as she watches father and daughter pose for our cameras. “He’s in dad mode all the time.”
For Sam, this past year has been “phenomenal” but has also changed his priorities in life. He says he’s discovered a new appreciation for his own parents, and of course for Bec, 35, and “what she went through bringing a child into the world”.
“It’s made me look at life through a different lens in the best possible way,” he adds.
Rebecca explains there have been a few surprises for her along the way as “people don’t talk about” every aspect of motherhood openly.
“When Sam was away [working], I had no idea what was happening with my body,” she shares. “Like cluster feeding. I wasn’t prepared. You figure it out though, you get through.”
The stylist and creative consultant advises all new mums, “Don’t be afraid to say ‘yes’ to help.”
In between trying to get Margot to look at the camera and unwrapping an early Father’s Day present from the New Idea team (the classic socks and jocks combo!), Sam admits he “always wanted” to be a dad. The notion became effortless when he and Bec realised “we were both in line with what we wanted for the future”.
“Timelines don’t matter when that happens,” he explains.
Every week, Sam discovers new elements to fatherhood that he’d not considered until they appeared.
“Like the first time I saw Margot genuinely smile or laugh at something she found funny,” he shares.
“Or the first time she was on a swing and to see life through her eyes … how her face lit up when she couldn’t believe she was flying through the air.
“These mini milestones have been the great joy for me because they happen almost every week and they catch you off guard.”
Rebecca describes ‘Baby Shark’ fan Margot as “very chill”, while Sam thinks she is already highly observant.
WATCH: Sam Mac’s touching love letter to his partner. Article continues after video.
“She really notices things. Whether it’s a tiny little light that she wants to explore, or a tiny little logo on my shirt,” he shares.
“One thing is a bit scary – she grabs our phones and tries to swipe! Kids are like sponges, they’re watching and listening all the time.
“She’s also a very clean eater, very dainty. She’s only 11 months, so that could change!”
Indeed, along with Sam’s first Father’s Day, the family are gearing up to celebrate Margot turning one in a matter of weeks. They are planing a “little party” that both sets of grandparents will fly to Sydney for.
“When you make that first birthday, it’s a milestone for the parents too … we survived the year!” says Sam. “The first year, it’s still sinking in that you’re a dad. For me to experience my first Father’s Day it will finally be like, ‘Yeah, this is the real deal, I’m a Dad!’ Daddy Mac!”
There’s a list of around “150 things” that Sam wants Margot to both achieve and avoid, but mostly, his wishes for her future are simple.
“I want her to be kind and never lose her sense of wonder or humour,” he says. “I want her to be ambitious. I want her to make mistakes, try things, get back up and try again.
“See what fatherhood does to you? It turns you into a Hallmark greeting card! Becoming a dad softens you in the best possible way.”
