“Days of Our Lives” Star Carson Boatman and “Bold & Beautiful”'s Julana Dizon Welcome First Baby (Exclusive)

The couple tied the knot in 2021

Carson Boatman and Julana Dizon are parents!

The Days of Our Lives actor, 29, and The Bold and the Beautiful actress have welcomed their first baby together, a rep for the couple confirms to PEOPLE.

Daughter Ava Rey was born on Monday, Dec. 18 in Los Angeles, weighing 8 lbs., 5 oz. and measuring 19 in. long at birth.

"We are both absolutely over the moon about starting our family and being new parents!" the couple tells PEOPLE exclusively.

"It truly feels like we've found something we didn't even know we were missing in our lives. The only way I can think to describe it is pure joy, but it's really something more than that. We are blessed and humbled to have been chosen to be Ava's parents. What we are now lacking in sleep, we have gained tenfold in love."

Their baby girl was given a meaningful middle name, honoring Dizon's father, Reynaldo Dizon, who passed away in November after a long battle with lung cancer.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Related: 'Days of Our Lives' Star Carson Boatman and 'Bold & Beautiful' 's Julana Dizon Expecting First Baby

In August, the couple announced they were expecting their first baby together with a sweet post on Instagram.

"Boatman, party of 3! 🎉Coming December 2023 🫶🏽," the couple captioned the joint post, where they posed alongside a stip of ultrasound photos.

The couple celebrated their second wedding anniversary after tying the knot in 2021 in Des Moines, Iowa, near where Boatman grew up.

Boatman and Dizon first met in 2016 in Los Angeles, when their mutual gym trainer played "matchmaker" and set them up for a dinner date. "And the rest is history," Boatman told PEOPLE.

"Free piggy backs for life. Love you more than words can convey. Happy second anniversary, @julana," he wrote in an anniversary tribute on Instagram in July.

In her own, Dizon wrote, "Celebrating 2 years of marriage today and WOW did it fly by. I still have *pinch me* moments sometimes just thinking about the fact that I get to spend every single day with this man."

"@carsonboatman you mean the world to me. Thank you for making all my dreams come true, continually being everything I need, inspiring me to be the best version of myself, and making me laugh at LEAST 3x / day. You make me feel lucky and loved everyday," she continued. "I love you, Forever and Ever Amen ❤️🙏🏽."

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.