Arkansas woman prepares for birth of 17th child

[KristiB]

How do they afford it?

From Fox News
FOXNews.com - Arkansas Mom Prepares for Birth of 17th Child - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News

LITTLE ROCK — The Duggars are once again pulling out the pink ruffles and lace as they prepare for the birth of baby number 17.

Michelle Duggar said Monday in a telephone interview from her northwest Arkansas home that the whole family is excited about the arrival of the baby girl they will name Jennifer Danielle, keeping with the family tradition of giving the child a name that begins with J.

Jennifer Danielle is due July 27.

Duggar, 40, said she was doing fine with her latest pregnancy. Although she has gotten older since she had her first child at age 21, she said, she still has plenty of energy and only minor aches and pains.

"With each baby, God's given me the grace and the energy to keep going, and they really keep you going," she said. "I feel like a 20-year-old kid, but I'm realizing my body isn't that 20-year-old. I don't get up and play the games as hard as I used to, and I try to be a little more careful."

Duggar said she and husband Jim Bob, a former state representative and U.S. senate candidate, view each phase of their children's lives as an adventure.

"I've never been a mom of a 19-year-old young man and a 17-year-old young man and woman, so every phase of parenting is an exciting adventure" Duggar said.

The Duggars home school their children at their 7,000-square foot home in Tontitown. The couple's oldest child, Joshua, is 19, and their youngest, Johanna Faith, is 19 months. Their children include two sets of twins.

Because the couple sees each child as a blessing from God, Michelle Duggar said they will, as long as she is able, accept each child they are given.

"Really, our heart is we would love to receive whatever gifts or blessings the Lord wants to give us," she said. "But I love the baby stage and I can't imagine life without having a toddler in the house."

Two of the Duggar children, Janna, 17, and Jill, 15, attended Johanna's birth at St. Mary's hospital in Rogers in 2005. Duggar said the two girls, who both have an interest in becoming midwives or nurses, may attend Jennifer's birth as well.

And though she has 16 children, Duggar said that each child is so different there are times when she feels like she knows nothing about parenting.

"Here I am a mama with her 17th child on the way, and so many people think 'Oh you've got it all figured out,"' Duggar said. "I am still learning. Just when I think I've got something figured out I try it on the next one and it doesn't work."

The Duggars' other children are John David, 17; Jessa, 14; Jinger, 13; Joseph, 12; Josiah, 11; Joy-Anna, 10; Jeremiah, 8; Jedidiah, 8; Jason, 7, James, 5; Justin, 4; and Jackson Levi, 2.

[McJag]

For petes sake!!! I don't care if THEY can afford it! The world just cannot! IDIOTS!

[buttmunch]

They named a child Jinger? Isn't that a name for your pet?

[travelbug]

I feel so sorry for Jinger, Joy-Anna, Jedidiah, and Levi. Awful names.

[Sweetie]

I wonder what they do for a living?

[blissfullyunaware]

I watched this family on The learning channel, at the time they were on their 14th kid! Apparently they can afford it because the father runs some type of business. And they own a school bus to drive around all their kids. They are practicing mormons as far as I can remember so they use no birth control. They also use the "buddy system" at home, the older kids take over responsibility for the younger ones. And the mother was a former teacher so she does home schooling for all her children. Their house was very nice and clean and they seem to have their own system of keeping things running. Whatever they are doing seems to be working for them.
I did find some problems with the way they do things though, it seemed like they never socialized with anyone else besides family. If the mother wants so many kids I felt she should take the responsibility to watch them, instead of depending on the older kids. I also wondered if her stomach and uterus were all worn out?? And the final thing was how all her daughters main goal in life was to get married and pop out tons of kids like their mother...WTH?

[KristiB]

Someone posted this on my other board

[Just Kill Me]

OMg that is awesome! Just reading the title of this thread makes my insides hurt.

[effie2]

I dont care if they have 100,what gets me is that they make the older ones help,so cruel and unfair.
You want to have kids,cut your throat and raise them yourself,stupid human rabbit

[KrisNine]

Sew it up for cryin' out loud!!!

[TheMoog]

^^^ LOL!

Ahem... I shouldn't think there'd be much prep work in preparing for your SEVENTEENTH. It should just slide out.........

I bet the older girls will stay childfree or perhaps only have one or two when they are older. Sounds like they've played mum enough already......

[MgMMD]

How does she have time to tease and curl her bangs?

[blissfullyunaware]

Originally Posted by TheMoog

^^^ LOL!
I bet the older girls will stay childfree or perhaps only have one or two when they are older. Sounds like they've played mum enough already......

I hope this is true, because the television show I watched, they interviewed all the girls, and they all wanted lots of kids like their mom!

[KrisNine]

Originally Posted by TheMoog

^^^ LOL!

Ahem... I shouldn't think there'd be much prep work in preparing for your SEVENTEENTH. It should just slide out.........

I bet the older girls will stay childfree or perhaps only have one or two when they are older. Sounds like they've played mum enough already......

I'm surprised it even stays in there at all!!

[LynnieD]

I'm freaking obsessed w/these fools. I watch their specials on Discovery as often as possible and it never fails to fascinate me. There is a great thread in TV/Movies about them.....

If you've never seen them on TV, I highly recommend taking the hour of your life and watching them. You won't be disappointed.