Michelle Duggar #18!!

[Robin Carlton]

Hey guys...

Tell me I'm not the only one who has followed the Duggar Family on the Discovery channel! I think I watched the first documentary on them when they were back with #14 being born and they were building their house themselves and today they announced on the Today Show that #18 is on the way!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24537885&GT1=43001

Now normally, I would think people having babies like crazy is....well... CRAZY but I just love this family and they seem so well put together and like so much love is in their family so I am really looking forward to seeing how their family does with #18 on the way.

Okay so anyone else know what I'm talkin about?

R

[BeccaBoo]

oh yeah I heard about this too! I think they are great but there is no way I could do it! Very awesome for them!!

[Emmy]

They really are a sweet family - I could certainly not do what they are doing but I have a huge amount of respect for them. I think they just love kids and family. :)

[amandabarugh]

I know who you're talking about, and I'm probably the only one who is not a fan. :glare: :p

[pbumbaca]

That is just nuts! All the power to them tho if they can do it! I can't handle the two I have! LOL!

[lauren grier]

nope.. never heard of them.

























































































:p

[rochelle789]

I know who you're talking about, and I'm probably the only one who is not a fan. :glare: :p

I'm with you. Not a fan either. Their shows are entertaining though.

[Shawna Clingerman]

Oh I'm so glad there are other dugger-lovers out there :)

I read their website once apon a time and fell inlove, i just think that they really do love having kids and there's no weird creepy motives going on. Very cool - 18...

LOL I have to confess, that everytime I see somone with a bigger family than mine I instinctively can't help but see it as some sort of a challenge LMAO....

Then I get sane again and realize 18 is PLENTY! LOL

[newfiemountiewife]

Meh...like I said at DST, whatever floats your boat. I know I wouldn't/couldn't do it. My uterus would be touching the ground by kid number 5 because it is in poor shape from the 3 I did have.

[uptowngirl]

wow... i mean that is great and all that they have such a lovely family but i feel bad for this poor lady... do they kids just walk out at this point???

[Libby Pritchett]

They're actually a local family. I've never watched the documentaries, but I know of them just because they're from here. LOL! They really do have it down to an art. That woman has to be the most organized person on the planet (no wonder you love her so, Robin!)

[meems]

I know very little about them. But the mere thought of being pregnant 18 times and giving birth 18 times :blink:. . .

lol, Shawna, on being challenged

[ditzyscrap]

I can't imagine having that many kids!!

In my hometown, there were 3 sisters that were having a contest to see who could have the most kids. I think when I moved away, they'd had like 14 or so EACH. Crazy...can you imagine that family reunion? LOL!

[ashleyprugh]

I know who you're talking about, and I'm probably the only one who is not a fan. :glare: :p

you're not the only one. i mean, yeah. i respect their decisions and their beliefs. but i think 18 kids is crazy.

and yes, to whoever said after 18 kids, they must just walk out for delivery- i agree.

[Sarah8914]

Okay, they do seem like an amazing family....

but I still think it's crazy! And it sounds like they won't stop until it's impossible to get pregnant again...like they are just letting nature take it's course. I could never! But then again if her mind and body can handle it, good for t hem!

[Angie4b1g]

They have 9 next door and it's like a mad house. I have to come home for some quiet after being over there. And I have 5. LOL

I wish the kids would have bought her a trip to the hairdresser. I know that's catty, but there it is! :p

[gracielou]

I just read about them for the first time in my ParentLife magazine. My husband and I were talking about them the other day! They seem so well together and all. I would be crazy with that many kids. I am already crazy with just adding one more recently and that just makes 3 for us.
How do they go on trips or stuff like that. Do they take a dozen cars, do they own a bus, or do they just stay home?
Hmmmm...:confused:
Also I was noticing the age of the mother and children and I told my husband, "Do you realize she has been pregnant for like 20 years." I loved being pregnant but I SURE didn't like it that much.

[scarletsierra]

Meh. I do think they are a fabulous example of a big family and they all seem very happy so all the power to them.

[meems]

In my hometown, there were 3 sisters that were having a contest to see who could have the most kids. I think when I moved away, they'd had like 14 or so EACH. Crazy...can you imagine that family reunion? LOL!

okay that is taking sibling rivalry WAY too far.

in theory I like the idea of a big family. seems more fun. I feel like my kids are a little deprived. oh well. they say they don't want another sib anyway (not that it's even possible)

[Traci Reed]

I love them :) I can barely handle two, and I love how she has her kids all trained...lol

they do have a bus :)

[aggiefamily]

My uterus couldn't handle it. How can you still have a uterus after 17 pregnancies?

But it has to be great to have old children taking care of the younger ones.

[Shawna Clingerman]

The whole uterus question is a good one, i know my uterus made it pretty dang clear that enough is enough at four!

Ofcourse my pregnancies suck in a serious way, I know there are some people that do really great being preggers (beyatches!)

[crecia27]

I SO can't imagine being pregnant that many times. But they seem so happy and well adjusted.

[keepscrappin]

I'd never heard of them until this morning on the Today show.

I couldn't bare having to cook that much food and wash that much laundry. I only have 3 kids and I have a hard time keeping up with them. 18 - I couldn't even imagine it! My preganancies SUCK! I ended up on bed rest with all 3 kids, and each time the bed rest started earlier in the pregancy.

I wonder if the kids make their own scrapbooks, cuz I wouldn't think she would have time to do it for that many kids. :)

keepscrappin'
kayla

[conniep]

Yep I know what you're talking about lol..I've been fascinated by them for a while now too. I can't imagine having that many children but they definitely handle it well :)

[FlirtatiousBrat]

I've read their site a long time ago..she homeschools them too which I think is beyond organized. I can attest to how great it is to have an older child help care for a younger one (oldest dd is 12 here down to a newborn)

Wonder what J name they will come up with this time

[gyllenhaalic]

My uterus couldn't handle it. How can you still have a uterus after 17 pregnancies?
Passing no judgment but I do believe the next thing she'll be delivering *will* be her uterus.

[Melissa Bennett]

Oh I love watching the shows about them and I think they are an awesome family. I personally could not do what she is doing, but they seem to really love the children they have and be able to care for and provide for each one. I can't wait to see the new shows they are working on right now!!!

[iJenny]

Another Duggar family fan here! I've been watching them for a few years now (since they had *only* 14). Part of me used to think that it was irresponsible to have that many children in this day in age, but I've changed my mind. They 100% support ALL of those children on their own (they have real estate) and they are totally debt-free which is amazing. I feel like, if they feel that God will make it clear when its time to stop having kids, then thats fine with me. More power to them!!

BTW... she has been pregnant for 11 solid years of her life (she's 41). She's only had two sets of twins so that means that, after number 18 is born, she'll have been pregnant and given birth 16 times. Wow.
________
College Girls live (http://www.girlcamfriend.com/webcam/college-girls/)

[twentytinytoes]

Well, I don't know how any one could do it. How can they even afford that! I am sure they make a lot from there tv shows... Ummm can't say I am a huge fan. lol

[my3hens]

I think to each their own, I have watched in AWE at some of their shows and just wow!! They are SO together, sometimes I think I should be ashamed because I dont have it THAT togther and I have my three lol! love big familys though (thought I would NEVER want 18 kids) I dont think I would be able to remeber all those names lmao!

[meems]

oh man, 2 twin pregnancies? wouldn't carrying twins be even more taxing on the ol' uterus?

[ColleenSwerb]

That....is.....amazing and insane.

I don't have kids, and have never been pregnant, so I can't fully appreciate what it's like to be pregnant for 20 years (essentially).

To each his own, but holy cow! LOL! As long as there is love, I'm ok with it :)

[jene]

I know who you are talking about but being preg. for 20 years is so not my thing....but awesome for them. I just keep thinking tho when this one is 20 she is going to be 62ish...wow Ugh and then the whole how her body is going to recover or has recovered comes into play....I don't know I see long term health issues in her future.

[nesser1981]

Wow, I figured she was done after the last one. LOL!

I don't see how she can keep having babies.

[girlflies]

No fan here. Don't believe in ultra-large litters.
But can't not watch the show (kinda the train wreck theory).
All power to them though.

[Stacey42]

I've watched all the shows. I find it fascinating but in that OMG! sort of fascinating. Obviously they are loved and much wanted children and they are a happy & self-sufficient family which is a wonderful thing. But I can't help thinking OMG! every time I watch the show.

We stopped having kids at 2 partly because I had my appendix out 11 days after DS1 was born and my gall bladder out 6 weeks after DS2 was born and I was honestly worried I was running low on disposeable body parts. A third might have cost me a kidney. I just can't imagine carrying 18 children, and 2 of them twins. My body would have given out around 4 probably.

[Angie4b1g]

My kids definitely help around the house and with their siblings, but not like they have going there. I feel like her daughters are really the ones running the house and she's just having the babies. The girls do all the cooking and cleaning.

[amandabarugh]

My kids definitely help around the house and with their siblings, but not like they have going there. I feel like her daughters are really the ones running the house and she's just having the babies. The girls do all the cooking and cleaning.

This is the way I feel as well.

[MandaBean]

I'm willing to bet when she clears her throat..she pees. All that baby having has to be hard on the old bladder!! LOL

[LeeAndra]

My ex's ex (got that?! *lol*) does not have this many children, 'only' 6, but is of a similar faith and has a similar ideology to the Duggars. She had to have emergency surgery that rendered her sterile or she would have many more than 6.

It's called 'quiverfull' taken from Psalm 127 verses 3-5: 'Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.' Most believe having a quiverfull family is not using bc of any kind, even natural family planning, and 'letting God decide' how many children you will have.

My ex-stepchildren have always done the bulk of the household work once they were of a certain age. Chores like washing the entire family's laundry or cooking lunches & dinners for a week were rotated between children, and care of their youngest sibling fell mostly on the oldest who would get up in the middle of the night to change diapers and feed her a bottle when she was a baby. Their mother mostly supervised to be sure the chores were being done correctly and helped them with their homeschool studies when they couldn't figure it out for themselves from the textbooks they used.

They have lived this way for the last five years, so this lifestyle is all the youngest ones really know or remember. While they are, without question, the most obedient and self-sufficient children I have ever met, they are also so starved for attention and so hungry for peer-to-peer relationships that it makes my heart hurt.

The oldest emailed me this past week to tell me that her mom doesn't want her to go to college, and I have come to conclude this must be b/c her mom doesn't want to give up that extra pair of hands, especially now that she can drive the younger ones around and drive to town on errands. The oldest is brilliant, so I know it can't be b/c of grades. I just hope the Duggars are encouraging their older children to move up and out when they are of age so that they can experience a regular life, too.

[Paula]

I remember last year when she had the 17th. I think they are a sweet family, but that is just insane.

[Melissa Bennett]

I'm willing to bet when she clears her throat..she pees. All that baby having has to be hard on the old bladder!! LOL

OH my gosh!!! I about spit my drink all over my monitor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AmyM]

I remember last year when she had the 17th. I think they are a sweet family, but that is just insane.
ITA.
They're really cute...but I'm wondering if they have an extra chromosone or something that allows them to deal with all those kids without seriously injuring self or others. LOL I'd be whipping some butt on a daily basis probably. UGH that is scary thinking about it.

I also wonder.....after like, 3 or 4, when do they have time to _make_ another one? :blink:

[Sarah8914]

ITA.
I also wonder.....after like, 3 or 4, when do they have time to _make_ another one? :blink:

Yeah, especially 9 months after the last???? Seriously! Eeks! I guess though, all it takes is one time right?

Fortunately, nursing holds me off for the first 7 months and then I choose not to get pregnant right away. :)

[AmyM]

My best friend has 3 kids. One turned three last month, one is 18 mnths, and the other is about 8 weeks. the girl still is a hottie and still weighs like 120 and her brain and body parts are in tact. Her house is clean too. Three boys and a clean house? I told her she needs to get some sleep and let the dirt and the toys sit around a few days LOL.

The Duggars, the big family thing, I'm down with that. They can take care of them, they should be able to have as many as they want. The kids seem more well behaved than a whole lot of only children (yeah, I am one and have one LOL) and small families so hey, more power to 'em!

[EveRecinella]

LOL Manda!! There is a huge long post about this on my mommy board.......

[Mandy]

I think it's wierd.
Something about them bugs me and I dont know what it is.

[mummytothree]

My kids definitely help around the house and with their siblings, but not like they have going there. I feel like her daughters are really the ones running the house and she's just having the babies. The girls do all the cooking and cleaning.

I also think this is what is really going on. :thumbdown: Also this statement by the oldest Joshua, the Duggars’ eldest son, said the news, two days before Mother's Day was “a shock” — if only to a point.

“I wasn’t expecting that,” the 20-year-old said. “But it’s been nine months [since the birth of the last baby], so yeah.” does not read like someone who is happy to add another to their family.

That just makes me sad and makes my heart hurt for those kids!! :(

[Angie4b1g]

I'm willing to bet when she clears her throat..she pees. All that baby having has to be hard on the old bladder!! LOL

That made me LOL irl.

[Kat Stokes]

To each their own I guess... I couldn't do it - even if the older ones helped me...

I think that's what bugs me the most about their whole situation though. The older kids help out a lot in raising the younger ones which I believe is the parents job. Don't get me wrong, kids should do chores but to have to cook for 20 people every morning, noon and night and do all that laundry????? When do they have time to do schoolwork and play and just be kids???????

But, they are very intriguing to say the least...

[crecia27]

I don't particularly like cooking and cleaning for my little family of 5. and one of the reasons is I always feel like I'm the ONLY one cleaning up after all of us. If I felt like everyone was doing their part, and I had a couple of my friends doing it with me it wouldn't seem like such a chore - kwim? These kids are so close in age I bet they are pretty close to at least a few of them. I'm sure it gets old sometimes, but for the most part all the kids seemed happy she was having another one. I really don't get the impression that mom is sitting back eating bon bons while the kids do all the chores.