Andrea Canning and her husband, Tony Bancroft, will welcome their sixth child later this year, and, after five daughters, they are finally getting the baby boy they always wished for.
The NBC television journalist — who appears as a correspondent on Dateline , Today , and NBC Nightly News — first revealed her big news in a video posted on Twitter on New Year’s Eve.
“In 2019, I’m having a baby! But will it be a boy or a girl? Let’s find out,” the 46-year-old said in the clip before popping a giant black balloon with a pin.
Blue confetti scattered all over the place, scaring the expectant mother.
“It’s a boy! After five girls, it’s a boy,” she happily said with a laugh.
Canning revealed to Today that her son, due in late June, was conceived via in vitro fertilization (IVF).
“I don’t want to take away from how much we obviously love our daughters, but we just always wanted a boy. It was in our hearts to have a boy. So we said, ‘Let’s give it a shot,’” she said.
Fortunately for Canning and Bancroft, a financial analyst and a former fighter pilot with the Marines, who is now in the reserves, they wound up with one male embryo that worked.
Their five girls — 9-year-old Anna, 8-year-old Charlie, 6-year-old Kiki, 4-year-old Georgia, and 3-year-old Elle — are “definitely excited” about their first brother.
Canning explained that Elle walks up to her belly and adorably says, “Hi, baby brother!”
She also said that the kids are all ready to help their mom with the new baby, volunteering to change diapers and help with feedings.
“They’re so incredibly helpful to each other. Not always willingly — sometimes they need a little push — but they’ll always do it. It’s very sweet. They look out for each other,” said Canning.
The entire family then appeared on the Today show on Friday, January 4, to discuss with Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie how they feel about bringing a baby boy into a household dominated by females.
The five girls all looked cute in matching white dresses with several colored lines on them. They each had their own distinct white sweater over their frocks.
Canning was asked how she manages to raise such a large brood with her demanding NBC job. She admitted that she does have a “great nanny” during the day, and her husband “is the most hands-on dad,” especially at night when she is falling asleep.
“He’s Mr. Energizer Bunny,” she joked.
Meanwhile, Bancroft said that he is happy that the family will soon have two foursomes for golf outings.
They plan on naming the baby boy after his father and grandfather, so he will be George Anthony Bancroft III.
