Julia Lemigova Admits to Having 'Difficult Time' with Older Daughters Since Adopting Sons with Martina Navratilova-quang

The reality TV star is mom to her older daughters Emma and Vika from a previous relationship

Julia Lemigova is admitting that her family is going through a rough transition after she adopted two sons with her wife, Martina Navratilova.

On this week's episode of The Real Housewives of Miami, Julia, 53, spoke about welcoming two sons through adoption last summer and shared that her older daughters — Emma and Vika, who she has from a previous relationship — feel that she didn't communicate well enough about the adoption with them.

“Listen, we are going through a difficult time right now with our older daughters,” Julia says during a dinner. “Because we don’t have much communication with them anymore because of our new family dynamic. It’s a lot of growing pains for them and for us.” 

Julia Lemigova and Martina Navratilova attend Netflix's "The Politician" Season One Premiere at DGA Theater on September 26, 2019.

In a confessional, Julia explains that the adoption was a "big surprise" for her daughters, who have yet to meet their younger brothers. Emma currently lives in Paris, while Vika lives in Virginia.

“The adoption of the boys came as a big surprise to Vika and Emma," she shares. "They haven’t met them yet. They’re upset with us for not communicating enough with them about what’s going to happen. So right now, unfortunately, we are not at the best place with them.” 

Back at the dinner table, Martina says she finds the situation sad because the girls will never be able to get this time back.

“It’s so sad because you can’t ever have that time back,” she says. “You have regrets that you wasted this time. Because it’s so precious. You can’t ever have it back.” 

This past November, a few months after welcoming her sons through adoption, Julia spoke with PEOPLE about what life has been like since growing her family.

"I'm sleep-deprived but so happy," Julia told PEOPLE at Bravo Fan Fest 2024 in Miami. "It's becoming a reality because it's only been three months, but it's been a very intense, loving, incredible, three months." 

Julia Lemigova and her daughters.

She said adding little ones to the mix has changed a thing in her marriage with the tennis star. "When we got married, [Martina] promised me, one of her vows was she would get off social media a little bit because she's constantly on Twitter [now X] and that it took her how many years of marriage to actually be less on social media because of the boys because now she has no time."

Recently, Martina came under fire after sharing some controversial takes on X. In the middle of July, Julia's former tennis pro wife shared a now-deleted post on X and wrote, "Surrogacy is just wrong. Sometimes you can't have it all."

Then on Jul. 31, the Real Housewives of Miami star appeared on Watch What Happens Live and was asked by host Andy Cohen about Martina's comments.

"That’s a question? For me?” Julia began. “Well, you know, Martina and I share a bed, but we don’t share a brain. And we not always agree on different views, but I believe in surrogacy."

"You know, it was kind of put out of context," she continued. "And I completely disagree with her comments.”