Joanna Gaines may be a busy businesswoman and mom to five children, but she’s not slowing down any time soon. In fact, she’s only picking up steam.
She and her husband, Chip Gaines, are the parents to 13-year-old Drake, 12-year-old Ella, 9-year-old Duke, 8-year-old Emmie and baby boy Crew, who is now 5 months old. In many ways, their youngest child has been an unexpected surprise for the family.
The mom has been open about how she never expected to be 40 years old and pregnant, but this baby has proven to be just what the family needed.
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“It’s sweet how, even in the most unpredictable ways, we’re given exactly what we need for that exact moment in time. It wasn’t something I could have anticipated. But being pregnant and ‘forced’ to slow down has been a gift,” she wrote in an essay for Magnolia Journal.
The pregnancy may have forced her to slow down a bit, but now that the baby’s arrived, she’s got nothing but energy. She credits Crew for the “extra kick in my step” she’s felt lately, she told People.
“[Welcoming Crew] woke me up a little bit. Life was doing its thing, and this baby — typically you feel tired, but this baby, he’s just like my second wind,” she said in an interview with People.
The couple may not have signed up to do another season of “Fixer Upper,” but that doesn’t mean they don’t have plenty to keep them busy. Between raising their children, maintaining their farm, writing design books and managing their Magnolia properties, this family has a lot of their plate. So, it’s a good thing that this mom’s energy level seemingly knows no bounds.
Following the Gaines family on Instagram will give you a peek into their busy lives and make one thing abundantly clear: Despite their hectic schedules, there’s still plenty of time for cuddles, family vacations and celebrating milestones together.
The busy mom made plenty of time for cuddling shortly after Crew was born:
View this post on InstagramCuddle bug <imgsrc=”” alt=”😍” class=”wp-smiley” style=”height: 1em; max-height: 1em;”>
Because you can’t beat those slow moments spent rocking on the front porch, after all:
View this post on InstagramMe + Crew + Cookie = <imgsrc=”” alt=”❤” class=”wp-smiley” style=”height: 1em; max-height: 1em;”>
And even though long nights with newborns aren’t easy, the mom seemed to embrace what came every step of the way. She included a sweet, simple “#thisis40” in this post:
View this post on InstagramEvidence of a late night up with my boy <imgsrc=”” alt=”💙” class=”wp-smiley” style=”height: 1em; max-height: 1em;”> #blowouts #allnighters #thisis40
With five kids and a busy work life, the family still makes time for surprise trips:
View this post on InstagramChip has always talked about the @balloonfiesta and how he went as a little kid growing up in Albuquerque. He surprised us all this weekend and we finally got to experience the magic of this special place. Now I get why he still talks about it forty some years later <imgsrc=”” alt=”✨” class=”wp-smiley” style=”height: 1em; max-height: 1em;”>
Even football games are family affairs:
View this post on InstagramFirst game day for baby Crew <imgsrc=”” alt=”🏈” class=”wp-smiley” style=”height: 1em; max-height: 1em;”> #sicem
They make time to celebrate the special moments, big and small:
View this post on InstagramNo one I’d rather #silobrate with… @chipgaines @magnolia
Gaines took a moment to pause and recognize just how far the couple and their business has come. “I have zero regrets though about stepping out and just going for it — this shop, this business, it has our hearts. We are so thankful,” she wrote.
View this post on Instagram15 years ago… Happy Anniversary Magnolia! A few things I want to call out from these photos: Red lipstick. The vase on the counter- I remember I stenciled the words “imagine” and “dream” on these glass jugs I we bought for a buck each at a garage sale. They were my best seller that season. #silobration @magnolia
Fifteen years and five kids later, the Gaines family is still going strong, and we wish them all the best every step of the way!