After 14 boys, Michigan family welcomes first girl. ‘Greatest gift we could imagine’

A Michigan family with 14 boys will have some adjustments to make following a new addition to the family.

It’s a girl!

The Schwandt family of western Michigan welcomed Maggie Jayne Schwandt to the family Thursday morning. After 14 boys, Maggie is the first girl.

“As if 2020 couldn’t get any crazier!” the family said on the Facebook page of their livestream program, ‘14 Outdoorsmen.’ “We are blessed to welcome and announce the birth of our little SISTER, Maggie Jayne. Her and mom are doing well and we couldn’t be more excited.”

The 14 boys range in age 2 to 28, according to a 2018 article from Today. The parents, Jay and Kateri Schwandt, even became grandparents for the first time two years ago, the Today article states.

Asked by MLive.com in 2014 if their 13th baby could be a girl, the mom said, “I think we would go into shock. It would probably be disbelief.”

After the birth of Magie, Mercy Health congratulated the Schwandt family Friday on their “remarkable addition.”

The eldest brother, Tyler Schwandt, told the Detroit Free Press he isn’t sure if her mother owns anything that is pink. He said he hasn’t “quite wrapped my mind around” the birth of the first girl to the family.

“We are overjoyed and beyond excited to add Maggie Jayne to our family,” Jay Schwandt told the Free Press. “This year has been memorable in so many ways, for so many reasons, but Maggie is the greatest gift we could ever imagine.”

Katie Schwandt, who is 46, is used to large families; she is one of 14 siblings herself, according to mlive.

This story was originally published November 6, 2020 at 12:02 PM with the headline "After 14 boys, Michigan family welcomes first girl. ‘Greatest gift we could imagine’."