Why Hasn’t ‘RHOBH’ Star Denise Richards’ Husband Aaron Phypers Adopted Her Daughter Eloise Yet?

Denise Richards announced plans for her husband, Aaron Phypers, to adopt her youngest daughter, eight-year-old Eloise, earlier this year, but has it happened?

Unfortunately, no.

During an episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly: After Show(available on Bravo‘s website), Richards opened up about her and Phypers’ plan to make Eloise his legal daughter. She admitted that after losing an important document during the Woolsey Fire from last year, the adoption process came to an abrupt halt.

“We lost a lot of documents in the fire, one being her birth certificate. And we have a closed adoption,” Richards explained. “It’s a tricky process when you lose it. We’re waiting for her birth certificate because you need a birth certificate to say you want to adopt a child.”

While Phypers hasn’t yet adopted the child quite yet, the two are getting along great. According to Richards, Eloise adores and looks up to her husband. In fact, she’s always grabbing for his hand, and the mom-of-three couldn’t be happier to see her youngest child get to have a father.

Richards also said her oldest children have “adapted” to their new life with Phypers, whom Richards wed in September of last year.

As fans of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills may know, Richards shares her two oldest daughters — Sam, 15, and Lola, 14 — with her first husband, Charlie Sheen, whom she was married to from 2002 to 2006.

In February of this year, Richards opened up about her youngest daughter and revealed for the first time that she had special needs during an interview with People magazine.

“She can only say a handful of words,” Richards shared. “And there are times when she feels like her age in understanding, and then other times where it feels she’s emotionally 3 years old. It’s been challenging. I’m learning every day because they don’t really have a road map for her particular case.”

According to the magazine, Eloise was diagnosed with a deletion in chromosome 8 — which causes numerous developmental delays — nearly three years ago. However, when it comes to working through the disability, Richards is still trying to find her footing.

Throughout her journey, Richards has been sharing sweet photos of her daughter and at times, Eloise appeared alongside her and Phypers on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

To see more of Richards and her co-stars, don’t miss the first segment of the three-part Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Season 9 reunion, which begins airing next Tuesday, July 16 at 9 p.m. on Bravo TV.