Devout Christian Family With 13 Sons Hopes 14th Child Due in April Will Be a Girl
A Christian Michigan couple who has 13 sons are hoping to welcome a daughter to their family when their 14th child arrives in April. But they aren't getting their hopes up too high because of their history with children.
"I would love to have a girl, but I just don't think it's in the cards. The last couple, numbers 12 and 13, we kinda held out a little hope," Jay Schwandt told WoodTV about the child he is expecting with his wife Kateri.
The devout Catholic couple first made national headlines in 2013 when they welcomed son number 12, Tucker Ray Schwandt who was born on Aug. 4 that year.
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Jay explained at the time that he and his wife weren't opposed to having more children as long as it was medically safe and had already begun to imagine his 13th child being the elusive Schwandt girl.
In May 2015, however, the then 40-year-old Kateri gave birth to baby number 13 and it was another boy. The family named him Francisco Matthew Schwandt and he joined his band of brothers: Tyler, 24, Zach, 21, Drew, 20, Brandon, 18, Tommy, 15, Vinnie, 14, Calvin, 12, Gabe, 10, Wesley, 8, Charlie, 7, Luke, 5, and Tucker, 4.
The couple has decided not to find out the sex of their unborn child but said whatever the result, this will likely be their final child even though they practice natural family planning due to their religious beliefs.
"I'm thinking that this is it. It just feels like this is going to be it, and we're going to enjoy every second of it," he said.
His wife, who does not expect any additional burden on their family with the addition of a 14th child, said in her eyes being a mother of 10 is no different than being a mother of three.
"If you have three, it's the same as having 10 at this point, if you ask me," Kateri Schwandt told WoodTV. "It's just more chaos, more noise. It's nothing we're not used to at this point."
Financially, the family also feels they are in pretty good shape to handle their large family.
"We wouldn't do it if we were struggling to get by, if we were living paycheck to paycheck," Jay had said after the birth of his 13th son in response to critics who felt he was being reckless. "These are people that just don't know us."
The couple's oldest son, Tyler, explained in 2013 that he helps his parents keep his brothers in check.
"I know how to manage time, and manage a schedule and make sure kids get where they need to be and get picked up when Mom forgets every now and then," he said.
