Mamma mia! Guess who's back on set at The Young and the Restless? Fan favorite Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe Mitchell; ex-Maggie/Frankie Stone, All My Children), who has been away on maternity leave for most of this year for the birth of her daughter, Josephine James.
The proud new mom, who welcomed her tiny new family member in March of this year, took to Instagram to share that she is back to work at the CBS soap opera. Only this time around, she has an adorable new buddy to help her step into the shoes of Chloe!
"Second day back to work at @youngandrestlesscbs Getting ready from home and somehow momming it," the actress posted along with a video of her getting "camera-ready" with Josephine on her hip.
Obviously, viewers are super happy about Hendrickson's return. As for the rest of the soap community, well -- they can't get over how cute Josephine is!
"Oh my God. Her little smile," wrote Rebecca Budig (ex-Hayden Barnes, General Hospital; ex-Greenlee Smyth, AMC; ex-Michelle Bauer, Guiding Light), while Finola Hughes (Anna Devane, GH/AMC) shared, "Your little girl has got those kind of eyes that look as if they have a secret you don't know about!!! Very special eyes #twinkle"
In terms of upcoming storyline for Chloe, Y&R head writer Josh Griffith teased in the show's fall preview that autumn would see the addition of a new baby in Genoa City -- which is most certainly going to be Chloe's new little one. After all, the character is set to give birth to her baby with Kevin (Greg Rikaart) any day now! Teases Griffith, "Their baby is on the way and with this pair, there's always drama!"
Hopefully Chloe's labor will go a bit smoother than Hendrickson's, though. As Soap Central readers may recall, the character welcomed her newborn during a scary time in which the coronavirus pandemic was affecting hospital protocols and limiting family visitors. Luckily, her husband, Rob Meder, was allowed to be with her for the delivery.
"My heart goes out to all of the mamas that are faced with being separated from their partners during delivery right now," Hendrickson shared at the time of Josephine's birth. "I really can't imagine doing this alone."
No matter what the Y&R writers have in store, Hendrickson is pretty sure that her real-life birthing experience will make her fictional experience all the better.
"I've been pregnant on the show a couple times and it was wonderful to not have to PLAY pregnant, but just BE pregnant... and then realize that you were playing it all wrong the whole time!" she joked back in May. "When I was in the throes of active labor and in the most excruciating pain in my life, I looked at the nurse and said, 'I've done this on my show two times... and I just feel like I'm a horrible actress!'"
She continued, "I am so looking forward to getting to shoot what delivering was really like, whenever that happens. Although now, I just remember all the amazing, incredible parts. I've blocked out that couple hours of excruciating pain!"
For more on what lies ahead for the residents of Genoa City, check out the Y&R fall preview here. Meanwhile, check out a Soap Central interview with Kate Linder (Esther Valentine), who gave us the scoop on her character becoming a grandma again and what she thinks about Hendrickson's baby, who she affectionately calls "JoJo."
Are you happy to hear that Elizabeth Hendrickson has returned to Y&R? What are you hoping lies ahead for Chloe as she welcomes her new baby? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
