19 Kids And Counting: Jill’s Gender Reveal And New Chores For Everyone
Boy, has it been a big week in Duggar-land! First, news of Josh Duggar trying to forget that he didn’t pay his taxes for four years and then, Baby Dilly was finally born to proud new parents, Jill and Derick! Last night’s episodes only added to my Duggar joy as they were both full of vodka-spitting moments we can now treasure together. I will make haste as I recount every moment of the latest 19 Kids and Counting!
Jill and Derick are preparing for their big gender reveal ultrasound. She says she’s only 17 weeks and we find out later that it’s taking place at one of those recreational ultrasound facilities instead of an actual doctor’s office. I sort of figured as much when Jill announced she was taking her “buddy team” of siblings, James, Jenny and Joy Anna with her. No real ultrasound facility would allow that big of a crowd to witness the action.
Her and Derick have names picked out for both a boy and a girl. We already knew the boy’s name, as he was born this week — Israel David. It’s unique and I really like it. Had he been a girl, they were going to name her Selah, which I also think is quite lovely. It seems they aren’t eschewing 25 letters of the alphabet with their name choices. How very daring of them to think outside the Duggar box.
The “buddy team” is super excited to be a part of the big reveal and are helping to plan the party afterward where they tell the rest of the Duggar clan. At first, I thought the buddy team concept was lame — it depends on one older sibling basically caring for a troop of younger ones. However, in such a huge family, it might be nice to have a focus on a smaller group of siblings to get to know better and depend on. They all seem close and the kids are so happy for Jill and Derick. I’ll allow it.
Joy Anna talks about her excitement at seeing Jill’s ultrasound live and in person, something she says she’s only done for her mom. She talks about how “weird” it is that Jill is now married and pregnant so quickly. And now, Joy slides in to take Jinger’s place as the Normal Duggar. The one who realizes how off-kilter it is to go from a non-kissing virgin to pregnant in a matter of two weeks. Way to be, Joy.
Derick’s brother Dan is going to travel to Nebraska to surprise their mom, Cathy, with the news of Jill and Derick’s gender reveal. Now, at first, I thought this incredibly strange. Like he’s some kind of sentry. Why would Dan go to tell her instead of Jill and Derick being the ones? We then find out that she is all alone in Nebraska getting her cancer treatments, so a surprise visitor for any reason is pretty awesome. This poor woman breaks my heart every time we see her. She looks so sick and I’m sure she’s sad she can’t be with her son in what should be a happy time. Fuck cancer and my best wishes to Cathy.
(Related: 19 Kids And Counting: Jim Bob Gets To Play Police Officer And Ben Is Dumber Than Ever)
Time for Jill, Derick and the buddy team to buy gender reveal decor items at the party store. Not really sure why they’re doing this BEFORE the ultrasound, but it’s the Duggars. I’ve long ago put logic on the back burner when trying to understand how they operate. They mill about choosing decorations and I find myself wishing with all of my might that they would stumble on the bachelorette party section and unwittingly purchase blue dick candies thinking they were baby rattles instead. Alas, my wish did not come true. Can you imagine Jim Bob’s face when he ate one? Delicious, isn’t it Boob?
Time for the big ultrasound and BOY is everyone excited. Of course, I sort of get it. I was excited too about finding out what I would be having. They just take it to a whole new level. I mean, they do know there are only two options, right? The way they’re all burbling you’d think they were expecting to possibly see a unicorn shitting glitter all over Jill’s womb. Jill wonders about twins while Joy Anna says she’s “honored” to be there. My God, this girl is precious. I wish she were my little sister.
Derick talks about how he has never been to an ultrasound, which should be a complete NO DUH since he only has one unmarried brother. Had he ever seen the innards of another woman’s uterus he would have some serious explaining to do with Jim Bob and Jesus.
Jill talks of how surreal it is to be pregnant herself when she’s usually the one listening to someone else’s baby’s heartbeat in her work as a student mid-wife. She’s really thrilled and I have to say, it’s infectious. For like, a minute, I almost wanted to be pregnant again myself. Then, I took a long slug off my vodka-cranberry and shook it off. All you, Duggars.
Ok, time for the big announcement! Of course, they don’t tell the camera because I guess we are still pretending that we haven’t known since last fall when they told People magazine and the entire world. For some reason, Derick high-fives Joy Anna. Huh. Alright, then.
Time to get ready for the party and James is stuffing the pinata alongside Jenny. They are super cute and very excited to tell the rest of the family the big news. I admire Jill for still involving her little siblings in her life even though she’s moved out. Obviously, these kids don’t get all the time and attention from their parents that kids in smaller families do so being with Jill must be great for them. She’s a good egg.
The family assembles to find out the big news and little Josie takes the first whacks at the pinata. That girl has spunk. I think she may go on to out-Jinger Jinger one day. Fingers crossed. Meanwhile, we flash to Cathy sitting in her hospital bed waiting on the video call she thinks will come from Jill and Derick to tell her if she’s having a grand-boy or grand-girl. Again, seeing her snaps my heart in two. However, Dan is on his way with the news any minute.
The pinata breaks open and SHOCKER, blue candy everywhere, it’s a boy. Jim Bob announces the tally — three grandsons, one granddaughter. Whatever, Jim Bob. Derick muses about passing on his “legacy” to a son and I’m kinda stumped because I’m not really sure what legacy that would be. Jill calls Anna and tells her the news and Anna is genuinely thrilled, which is sweet.
Now, the big moment for Cathy and my heart may burst. Dan comes walking in to surprise her and he’s holding a big, blue floral arrangement and an “It’s a boy” balloon. She is so shocked to see him that she doesn’t register the gifts at first and you guys, her face when she does. Yeah, I cried. No shame admitting that, right? She was SO happy. Jill and Derick video called a few minutes later to share the joy.
Moving on to the next episode, which was hilarious, but not nearly as eventful. Michelle talks about how life in their house is different now without Jill and Jessa living with them. I mean, yeah, of course it is. They just lost two employees that took on a lot of the household and child-rearing responsibility. I’m sure Michelle is feeling the pinch of all those chores going unclaimed. To that end, Joy Anna is taking over with assigning new “jurisdictions”. More on that in a bit.
Right now, we need to focus on the ridiculousness of the Duggars taking their dog to a do-it-yourself dog bathing place. Michelle took five of the younger kids and the dog. Because what could be easier than bathing your terrified dog in public with five kids freaking out all around you? Jackson is apparently in charge of Bubba the dog and he seems quite proud of this fact, which is cute.
Bubba is totally not having it and puts on his breaks the moment they reach the door of the grooming place. They have to pick him up and carry him in — the poor thing looks so overwhelmed. The kids are swarming all around trying to “help” and I’m breaking out in hives just watching. I mean it when I say — if Michelle is on something, I want some too. She is eerily calm where I would be having a real, live stroke. In the end, they have a clean doggie and Josie happily states that he’s “not stinky anymore”.
Meanwhile, the Dillards are at Bradley birthing classes learning about labor positions and father-led birth coaching. Jill is 25 weeks along and says her morning sickness is finally gone and she feels great. She talks about how this was how far Michelle was when Josie was born and they flash to some scary footage of her in the incubator. It really is amazing she’s doing so well now, I can’t imagine that.
In interview, Jim Bob talks about how important it is for the father to be compassionate, kind and helpful during childbirth. He says the husband got the wife pregnant and he needs to help get the baby out. Huh. I actually kind of love that. I hate when Jim Bob says something smart or weirdly lovable. It’s in those moments that I understand a bit why people love this family despite what we all know about them. He is strangely charming and charismatic when he isn’t being a total creep.
Anna is making a curtain for the front door of Ben and Jessa’s house, which used to be Anna and Josh’s house. She says her and Josh used an old robe to hang over the big window on the front door for privacy and they never got around to putting up a curtain instead, so this is a house-warming gift. She makes the curtain with the kids and lets them sit in her lap while she uses the sewing machine. I immediately flash to a trip to the ER but she seems pretty chill. That is, until little Michael nearly gets his hand caught in the needle. Had it been me, I would have thrown him off my lap and shrieked but not our girl. Anna took a breath and WHISPERED that he cannot do that again. She stayed so calm. This girl has mad respect from me as a fellow parent, there is no way I would have reacted that way.
In the last scene, we see Joy Anna in her new role directing the other kids in their chores. She talks in interview about how much has changed since Jill and Jessa moved out. Jill did a lot of the cooking and Jessa was their family organizer so there are some big holes to fill in the schedule. Joy says Jana and Jinger have been doing most of the cooking but that the cleaning has “gone off the end” a little. Flash to scenes of Duggar disaster. Just, shit everywhere. I can’t even imagine because with my two kids, things get out of control quickly. The kids conclude that the bathrooms are the worst jurisdiction to have as there are NINE of them. Guys, they’re kids, not paid hotel maids. This is so ridiculous. I know they’re teaching them responsibility but one kid cleaning nine bathrooms? Good Lord. We see little Josie going around the house picking up all the dirty clothes, which is weird, because why can’t they all just put their dirty stuff in the hamper themselves? Oh well, whatever. That’s all for this time. End scene.
Join me next week as we get further into Jill’s pregnancy and whatever other nonsense TLC has on the production schedule for them to do so we don’t get bored!
(Image: DefyMedia)
