Pete Buttigieg Calls Parenting Twins 'Most Demanding Thing': 'Yet I Catch Myself Grinning Half the Time'

Pete Buttigieg is sharing what it's been like to be a new father.

In August, the 39-year-old U.S. Secretary of Transportation and his teacher/author husband Chasten, 32, announced that they became parents, later revealing in September that they welcomed twins Penelope Rose and Joseph August.

On MSNBC's Morning Joe this week, Buttigieg said, "It's been wonderful. It's everything people tell you to expect and more. I think the biggest thing that's surprised me is just how much joy there is even sometimes in the hard parts."

"Don't get me wrong," he added with a laugh, "it's the most demanding thing I think I've ever done, that Chasten and I have ever taken on. It's just amazing."

"I used to think of 5 a.m. as early. Now I think of it as nap time if I'm lucky," said Buttigieg. "And yet, I catch myself grinning half the time. ... We're just over the moon."

Pete and Chasten tied the knot in June 2018. In August, they said in a statement, "For some time, Chasten and I have wanted to grow our family. We're overjoyed to share that we've become parents! The process isn't done yet and we're thankful for the love, support, and respect for our privacy that has been offered to us. We can't wait to share more soon."

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Then, in early September, they shared a black-and-white photo of themselves smiling with their newborns.

"Chasten and I are beyond thankful for all the kind wishes since first sharing the news that we're becoming parents," they wrote in a statement at the time. "We are delighted to welcome Penelope Rose and Joseph August Buttigieg to our family."

Pete and Chasten rose to the national stage in April 2019, when the former announced his bid for president in the 2020 Election, which would have made him the first openly gay politician to hold the office. The former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, ultimately lost the Democratic primary to now-President Joe Biden, who made Pete the first openly gay person to hold a Cabinet post.

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Even on the campaign trail, the couple had baby plans on the mind, telling PEOPLE that they were "really excited" to start a family.

"I obviously threw a wrench in our short-term plans," Pete said in February 2020. "No matter what happens, I think the next chapter in our personal lives is going to be about kids."

"Chasten is just especially wired to be a great parent," he added. "We would hope to do [it] soon. One way or the other."