Little lady arrives at last for parents of 10 sons
After 10 princes, Lady-Joe Tangata Terekia has her princess.
The Waikato mum and husband Nga Tangata have welcomed, in dramatic fashion, a baby girl to their family of 10 sons.
The Herald on Sunday met the family on Mother’s Day last year, when TangataTerekia was five months pregnant with her 11th child and hoping for, but not confident of, a girl.
On October 14, her dream came true, when Sparkle-Tiare¯ arrived, unplanned, in the family home at Horotiu, north of Hamilton.
“It was 3pm when my waters broke, and I wanted to push.
“She fell out on the floor of the sitting room [at 3.30pm].”
All the family were present and it was eldest son, 24-year-old Master-Lee, who told his mum she had the little girl she had hoped for.
“That was so special. I just never thought that it would happen to me. Everyone says a girl is special. She’s so pretty and she has sparkly eyes and long eyelashes.”
All her children were gifts, but she was enjoying discovering the differences of having a daughter, among them that a baby girl’s cry was different to a boy’s.
She had figured they were the same, but little Sparkle-Tiare had surprised her. “It’s like being a new mum again.” Hearing the words “daughter” and “sister” had been another thrill.
“It’s just not something I hear in my household.”
Her sons, who are aged between 2 and 24, adored their baby sister, who had also made the home “softer and calmer”, TangataTerekia said. There was no jealousy, she said. “They call her their princess, and they’re very protective of her.” The baby, now 4 months, was the apple of her smitten dad’s eye. “She’s definitely a daddy’s girl.” Girls’ clothing collected over 20 years was finally being put to use as well, TangataTerekia said.
“I’ve got boxes and boxes of shoes, dresses and ribbons,” she said.
And TangataTerekia and Tangata, who support their large brood through running their own fitness and construction businesses and who also involve the whole family in the household chores, haven’t ruled out adding more children to the family.
TangataTerekia said last year she “never says we can’t afford to” when it comes to having more children: “It’s just food and love.”
At 41, she thinks she has “a couple more” pregnancies in her. And she’d love another daughter, both for herself and for her baby girl.
“I’ve love to give her a sister, so I wouldn’t become obsessed with her and so she doesn’t grow up so spoiled.”