'Jinger's Double Surprise' Recap

Counting On "Jinger's Double Surprise"

• Jinger is 25 weeks pregnant, and she and Jeremy are setting up for a gender reveal party. It’s an obstacle course, and two teams will compete to make it to the light-up “Baby” sign first. The winning team will pull the cord on the sign to reveal the gender.
• “My siblings, I think, have used nearly all the traditional baby gender reveal ideas, and so Jeremy and I have had to brainstorm to come up with something that’s unique,” says Jinger.
• “We want fun, but we kind of want fun mixed with embarrassment,” adds Jeremy.
• The Duggar family (minus Joe and Kendra and the Forsyths), Grandma Duggar, and Aunt Deanna, arrive in Laredo, as do Jeremy’s parents. Jim Bob is the captain of Team Pink, and Chuck Vuolo is the captain of Team Blue.
• The obstacle course includes hula-hooping, “dizzy spinning” around a bat, hopping, a child-sized tunnel, and an ice cream eating competition. The ice cream part proves to be the most difficult for some, as they try to push through brain freezes. “I think I was eating the ice cream a little slow for Jessa’s liking,” admits Ben, who says he is “not super competitive.”
• Jessa, on the other hand, is very fast. “It’s not really an amazing thing to be known for, but I can put away the food when there’s a time crunch,” she says.
• Some of the older folks, like Jeremy’s dad, go through the tunnel, while others, like Jim Bob, opt to have a child go through on their behalf.
• The pink team wins, so Jim Bob and Michelle get to pull the string to light up the sign. When it turns pink, everyone screams. Jinger and Jeremy spray pink silly string at the guests. “We’re more than ready to be grandparents for the first time,” says Chuck.
• “I really thought it was going to be a girl,” says Jim Bob. “Anyway, I am just so pleasantly surprised, Michelle, and I’m so thankful for this little granddaughter.”
• The following day, a friend in Laredo throws a surprise, co-ed baby shower for Jinger and Jeremy. Jana and Jessa tell Jinger that they want to take her shopping for baby clothes. While they are shopping, the friend calls to ask Jinger and Jeremy if they would come over to look at a crib that she has for them. When they pull into the driveway and Jinger sees a taco truck and pink decorations, she realizes that something is going on.
• “Jinger is very easy to surprise,” says Jessa. “She just kind of goes with the flow. It’s just easy to pull things over on her. She just doesn’t catch on very easily.”
• The house and yard are FILLED with pink decorations and treats. Chuck shares a short message, and Jim Bob leads a prayer. When it comes time to open gifts, the Vuolos are blown away at how many there are. They are very grateful for everything their friends and family have done for them.
• “It is just amazing to get to be there with Jinger and Jeremy before the baby arrives, just having a peaceful time there,” says Jedidiah. “I think it just makes it special.”
• In Arkansas, Kendra’s parents help Joe and Kendra prepare for the birth. Kendra is 36 weeks pregnant, and her mom is 12 weeks along with her eighth child. “It’s super neat to be expecting at the same time,” says Christina Caldwell. “But Kendra got married young, and so we were hoping that we could still have another baby or two, but at the same time, we’re content, so we’re excited.”
• When Christina was pregnant with her first (Kendra), a car accident at 36 weeks caused her labor to begin. For the next three weeks, her labor was on and off leading up to Kendra’s arrival.
• Paul and Joseph install the car seat and pump up the labor ball, while the ladies make a baby book and pack the hospital bag. After checking those items off the to-do list, Joe and Kendra say they feel ready for Garrett's arrival.
• On another day, Joe and Kendra do a time test to see how long it takes them to grab their things and drive to the hospital. Kendra is hoping for an all-natural birth.
• Joe makes sure to take plenty of snacks. “Joseph, when he gets nervous, he stress eats,” says Josiah. “I’ve seen this condition because actually I experience the same thing.” The entire process takes only 28 minutes during rush hour.