When four little sisters surround a big brother, it’s only natural for him to hope that the new baby his mom is expecting will wear blue, not pink. But after finding out that their new arrival would, indeed, be another girl, parents Andrew and Laura Last decided to have a little fun with their big news in a royally adorable way. The California couple''s gender announcement photo pokes fun at big brother, Matthew, being even further outnumbered by his newest baby sister.
The photo shows Matthew, 6, looking shocked, as his little sisters, Natalie, 4, and triplets Annemarie, Catherine and Elizabeth, 2, don their finest princess gowns. A fifth princess dress lays on the bed, ready for the new baby girl that Laura is expecting in May.
“Since Matthew is our firstborn, our house started out full of trucks, superheroes and sports equipment,” Laura Last told TODAY Parents. “Over the years, as more and more girls have joined the family, it has gradually been taken over by baby dolls and dress-up clothes. We thought it would be a fun way to announce the gender by showing Matthew surrounded by all the girls, reacting to the news that there will be even more pink around here.”
The Lasts’ photo was shared on Life of Dad’s Facebook page, resulting in comments from readers that ranged from congratulatory messages to criticism about the size of their family. Last says she’s not bothered by the negative comments, as she and her husband love raising so many young children.
Still, Last says one line of commentary did surprise her.
“I expected some negative comments about the size of our family and having so many of the same gender, but I was surprised to see negative comments about our girls being in princess dresses,” she said. “One person said, ‘they should all ditch the pink and go ride a bike, play in the mud, build a tree house…’ It’s funny to me that people can think they know so much from just one photo. Our girls are active, athletic, and adventurous, and they also love princesses.”
“My favorite comments are from those who see the benefit of boys who are raised around a lot of girls,” said Last. “People always say, ‘He will be such a great husband someday.’ I hope so — he will certainly understand women.”
Last says their gender announcement was only meant to be fun, and that her son is actually very excited to have a new little sister.
“He is a protective big brother, a great leader, and really helps take care of all his little sisters,” said Last.
So how are Matthew’s little sisters feeling about adding another girl to their gang?
“They were all hoping for a girl,” said Last. “It’s a mini sorority over here — every night is like a slumber party with all your best friends — what’s not to be excited about?”