Jerry O'Connell: My Life As a Dad

Courtesy Jerry O’Connell for PEOPLE for use on CBB

In PEOPLE’s latest issue, Jerry O’Connell — proud dad to fraternal twin daughters Charlie Tamara Tulip and Dolly Rebecca Rose — gives readers a peek into his life at home with the girls, 8 months.

Sharing personal photos snapped by the actor and wife Rebecca Romijn, Jerry discusses being a stay at home dad — and learning to love pink!

Click below for the story and photos.

I grew up with all boys in my family, where there was no place for girlie stuff.

But it’s amazing to walk into my house now.

Everything is pink!

When we first brought Dolly and Charlie home, Rebecca would say, “We’re going out, let’s put them in this dress.”

At first I thought it was impractical.

They’re going to poop and throw up in it anyway.

What’s the point?

But now I understand dressing girls: Kelly Ripa gave us the nicest girlie dresses.

They’re their go-to fancy wear — they’re so fancy, I can only wash them in Woolite!

When they were being photographed for InStyle, I found myself brushing their hair.

Now that there’s a little more to work with, I can experiment just a bit more. Listen to me, I sound like Paul Mitchell! I can do mini-pigtails on Charlie, and on Dolly I can get barrettes in her hair.

One of my favorite things is putting them in their carriage, walking them around, and having people stop me and saying, “Tell me about your girls.”

Charlie likes to interact with people, and Dolly likes to study things.

There’s something fun about it. It’s like having a new car except it’s two lives. I’m proud.

Rebecca wants one of us to be home with the kids at all times. So while she’s working, I’ve been at home, and it’s been really fun.

My wife likes to give them milk when they wake up, but I’ve made some changes to the system. I like to let them play and then give them solid food.

I get in a lot of trouble, but I feed them in front of the TV with Sesame Street. They love it.

At bedtime I softly sing rap songs like Slick Rick or Biggie Smalls — without the curse words. I have favorite little bedtime nighties I put them in that say, “I love Project Runway.”

It’s a different experience to be with your kids when your spouse isn’t around. We have an area where they play; I go in there, and they climb all over me like two pet monkeys.

We have three dogs, if I act like one of the dogs with the dogs, they go crazy — we’re talking Richard Pryor in his heyday. I’ve never had people laugh at me so hard.

I think of myself as a funny guy but nobody thinks I’m funnier than my daughters. Whenever I try to scold them — if I’m feeding them and they put their hands in the food bowl, or when they’re pulling each other’s hair — they think it’s the funniest thing in the world.

There’s no better feeling than making your little girls laugh.

When you have little girls, you’re the coolest person in the world.

I know at some point that’s going to end; in their adolescence I’ll become the opposite of that, especially if I’m parked outside a high school party.

When that time comes, I’m going to read up on Judy Blume, rent some Molly Ringwald films and watch Twilight.

The amazing thing about all this is that it ends at some point.

My wife said, “The factory is closed.”

That’s not a lie. The factory is closed! You can’t make anything else.

You just have to appreciate every moment.

For more celebrity babies, check out the August 31st issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands now.