Arkansas family welcomes 18th child

ROGERS, Ark. - An Arkansas woman has given birth to her 18th child.

Michelle Duggar delivered the baby girl by Caesarean section yesterday at Mercy Medical Center, here.

The baby, named Jordyn-Grace Makiya Duggar, weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces and was 20 inches long.

"The ultimate Christmas gift from God," said Jim Bob Duggar, the father of the 18 children.

"She's just absolutely beautiful, like her mom and her sisters."

The Duggars now have 10 sons and eight daughters.

Jim Bob Duggar said Michelle started having contractions Wednesday night.

She needed the C-section, her third, because the baby was lying sideways.

Duggar said that his wife and the baby were doing well last night.

"We both would love to have more," he said.

The cable network TLC broadcasts a weekly show about the Duggars, called "Seventeen and Counting."

Chris Finnegan of TLC - which handles public relations for the Duggar family - said the show's name would be updated to account for the latest addition to the family.

He said TLC also will air a show Monday on the baby's delivery.

Jim Bob Duggar is 43; Michelle, 42. Their oldest child, Joshua, is 20. The other children, in between Joshua and Jordyn-Grace, are Jana, 18; John-David, 18; Jill, 17; Jessa, 16; Jinger, 14; Joseph, 13; Josiah, 12; Joy-Anna, 11; Jeremiah, 9; Jedidiah, 9; Jason, 8; James, 7; Justin, 6; Jackson, 4; Johannah, 3; and Jennifer, 1.

"Our whole family is excited about Jordyn's addition to our family," Jim Bob Duggar said. "She's just perfect in every way." *