The couple welcomed their first child when Ariel was 24, and have continued to welcome a new son almost every consecutive year with their children ranging from 10 to one-year-old.
Ariel met her husband Michael in 2005 when she was just 18, and two years later the couple were married. Sᴀᴅʟʏ the couple ʟᴏsᴛ their first baby, but have since gone on to have six boys, and now Ariel is now 16 weeks ᴘʀᴇɢɴᴀɴᴛ with their seventh child – and it’s no secret that she’s hoping for a girl. Ariel said: “I would love to have, one, two, maybe a few more, we’ll just take it one at a time. I would love to have a daughter just because I would love to experience having a daughter. We have not had six kids just to have a girl. I don’t want a girl just for the pretty girls, I would just like that mother-daughter relationship.”
While Mike is also keen to have a daughter, Ariel admits that she has previously experienced “gender ᴅɪsᴀᴘᴘᴏɪɴᴛᴍᴇɴᴛ” with her ᴘʀᴇɢɴᴀɴᴄɪᴇs. She continues: “My first three I expected to be boys, with my fourth I had a little bit of ᴅɪsᴀᴘᴘᴏɪɴᴛᴍᴇɴᴛ when I first found out that he was a boy. With my fifth I think I struggled even more. Now I wouldn’t trade them for a daughter.”
Ariel recalled: “Some days, I was certain it was a boy, and other days, I had this feeling it was a girl,” In the wee hours of Dec. 4, Ariel woke up from a deep sleep thinking she had to use the bathroom. However, she had already gone into ʟᴀʙᴏʀ. Her husband, Michael, 35, took to set up the camera and ʙɪʀᴛʜ kit in their bathroom when he realized their ᴍɪᴅᴡɪꜰᴇ couldn’t make it. As baby number 7 was ᴅᴇʟɪᴠᴇʀᴇᴅ at 3.20 a.m., Ariel held the baby for a few minutes before finding out she had ɢɪᴠᴇɴ ʙɪʀᴛʜ to a baby girl.
Ariel said: “Sʜᴏᴄᴋᴇᴅ. I mostly just felt sʜᴏᴄᴋ. Michael thought it was a girl, but he was also still Sʜᴏᴄᴋᴇᴅ as well.” Whilst the boys were “ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴅ,” Ariel thinks they felt it was “unbelievable.” Their home ʙɪʀᴛʜ video revealing their Sʜᴏᴄᴋᴇᴅ reaction after finding out the gender of the baby has since gone viral, amassing over 400,000 views.
Already well-versed in childʙɪʀᴛʜ and parenthood by this time, the Tysons had chosen not to discover the gender of their last three children before they were born. Ariel said she enjoyed her ᴘʀᴇɢɴᴀɴᴄɪᴇs more that way, without the extra pressure or added expectations. Ariel explained: “I’ve always said whoever we’ve been given is perfect for us, and this is also true this time.”
However, after the initial wave of sʜᴏᴄᴋ had faded, it made room for a flood of ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ to follow. Both the parents and the brothers alike were enthusiastic about the arrival of the baby girl. The six older brothers, who range from the age of 10 to 1, have already gone big brother watch. Ariel says they are protective, loving, and kind. Ariel said: “They’re so good with her and love getting to know her. I’m sure each of their relationships will change as she grows, but for now, they care for her like they would any new sibling.”
While each of their personalities varies, some of them are hands-on with her and want to hold her, meanwhile, the others check on her and talk to her while going about their days. As a mother, Ariel sees her role as vital to helping each of her unique children flourish. Ariel said: “Our philosophy is that, while we teach them to be respectful, kind, strong, compassionate, and ᴇɴᴄᴏᴜʀᴀɢɪɴɢ ʟᴇᴀᴅᴇʀs ᴏꜰ ɪɴᴛᴇɢʀɪᴛʏ, according to the sᴛᴀɴᴅᴀʀᴅs ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ Bɪʙʟᴇ, we are also raising them to be individuals in their personalities and talents.”
