Like You, Eva Mendes Is Up To Her Ears With Her Kids' Stuffed Animals

If there’s a parent out there who doesn’t constantly lament the sheer number of stuffed animals strewn about their child’s bedroom, I’ve yet to meet them. They just tend to accumulate over the course of a childhood, and you can’t get rid of them because, come on: look at those big shiny button eyes and cute, fluffy little faces.

And apparently, even celebrities can relate. Recently, Eva Mendes, who shares daughters Esmeralda, 9, and Amada, 8, with husband Ryan Gosling, posted about stuffed animal woes on her Instagram Stories.

Mendes shared a selfie from a plane in which she is surrounded by stuffed animals. “Sooooo I guess they're a significant part of my carry on now?” she wrote. “Is this the new norm?” A follow up image continues “Btw, these are only 3 of the 6 that traveled with us. But at least I talked them down from 12.”

Speaking as a mom traveling with lovey-loving kiddos, I’ve been there and I get it (ask me about the time my son somehow managed to get a 12-inch Squishmallow into his under-the-seat backpack along with an iPad, books, and a metric ton of snacks).

Mendes, Gosling, and their daughters were seen earlier this month at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris—a rare public sighting given that the two famously don’t often appear in public together and have made it a priority not to attend Hollywood events as a couple. Even when Gosling was nominated for an Oscar for Barbie, Mendes cheered him on from backstage but was not at his side in the audience. Gosling, adorably, took his sister, Mandi, who also joined the family in Paris.

Mendes and Gosling were first spotted at the Games at the dressage individual Grand Prix freestyle (which was held at Versailles). Later, the whole family was seen at the artistic gymnastics women’s uneven bars final at the Bercy Arena.

Of course, unforgettable family vacations do come with a price. Specifically: traveling with small children. And it seems Mendes has learned that part of the deal is sharing your seat with half a dozen stuffed animals.