19 Kids and Counting ecstatic grandparents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, blogged about the birth of Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard’s baby, Israel David Dillard, shortly after his birth late on Monday night. This is the fourth grandchild for the parents of 19.
“Yeah!!! Our sweet new grandson, Israel David Dillard is here. We love him so much already and we love his name!” Michelle and Jim Bob wrote on the Duggar Family Blog on Tuesday, the same day Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard announced the arrival of their ‘Baby Dilly.’ “Our Jill is doing wonderful and Derick seems to have a permanent smile on his face now! Israel is precious and his arrival is just another reminder of how very precious life is and how every child is a gift from God. We are happy grandparents!”
Jill Duggar had plans for a home birth, with Michelle Duggar and Derick Dillard’s mom present for support. She was 13 days overdue when she finally went into labor. It’s uncertain yet if that’s the reason Israel was born in a hospital instead of at home, or if complications arose once Jill went into active labor. That will no doubt be spelled out for fans on May 5th when TLC airs a special episode of 19 Kids and Counting that will detail Jill’s labor and delivery.
So what’s with the clothing both Derick Dillad and baby Israel are wearing in the video birth announcement? They are typical souvenirs purchased by tourists when visiting Israel. Baby Israel is wearing a onesie that bears the words “I Israel” and his dad is wearing a T-shirt with “Israel Defense Forces” written on it in English and Hebrew. The entire Duggar family is very supportive of the country of Israel. Derick even bought Jill Duggar’s engagement ring there. The entire 19 Kids and Counting family traveled to Israel once, and their trip was featured on the show.
.@jillmdillard and @derick4Him welcome #BabyDilly! See the adorable photos: http://t.co/4A9tRdeHEA pic.twitter.com/MTAKxzlptN
— Good Morning America (@GMA) April 8, 2015
Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar will have a fifth grandchild in the coming months. Son Josh Duggar and his wife Anna have three children already, and are expecting their fourth. Israel David Duggar won’t be the youngest Duggar family grandchild for long. That doesn’t mean these next days and weeks won’t be cherished times, however as Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard prepare to take their precious bundle of joy home and start heir new life as a family–an extension of the very large 19 Kids and Counting family.
Jill and Derick have said they want a large family. Might they one day have as many as the 19 Kids and Counting clan?