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Now that’s a lot of children to have, hoping for just one girl

Posted at 8:13 PM, Oct 31, 2014
and last updated 2014-11-01 22:35:14-04

ROCKFORD, Mich. -- It's baby fever in Kent County, as a family there is set to welcome their 13th child.

The Rockford couple has had 12 boys in a row, and they're wondering if this will finally be the one wearing pink.

The shoes lined up at the Schwandt family home are normally over a dozen, ranging in age from 22 to 14 months.

"Calvin, Tyler, Wesley, Zachary, Gabe, Tucker, Luke, Vinney, Brandon, Tommy, Drew, And Charlie," cites  "It's six bedrooms and we have kids just piled in -- ha ha."

And one on the way-- but so far-- not a single girl for Kateri and her husband.

"The fourth one I thought, this must be the girl, eventually you'd think."

But now Kateri says having a baby girl would change everything.

"It would be so different, I almost feel like we'd have to re-learn how to parent, ha ha," Kateri says.  "My husband Jay will root for a girl and I kinda root for a boy because I know what we're doing, I know what to expect."

The Schwandts plan to wait for the birth to find out.

"I don't like knowing, kinda gets me through the whole pregnancy and birthing process and I'm not one of those people that worry whats in the present, I'm fine waiting til Christmas morning."

In the meantime, with a dozen boys, Kateri says keeping the kitchen stocked and clothes clean is no simple task.

"On top of the number, they're boys, and boys just like to eat. and then as far as laundry its never ending," she says. "There are times when its overwhelming but that's when the one of us steps back and the other steps in."

Boy or girl, the Schwandts say they’re excited for whatever comes next. "It wouldn’t matter either way, we're just happy with having another baby."

And this may not be the end of it, the Schwandt family says they are open to having more children after number 13.