Gypsy Rose Blanchard has announced that she is pregnant and expecting her first child with her boyfriend, Ken Urker. The 32-year-old shared the news in a heartfelt 9-minute YouTube video on Tuesday, revealing that she is 11 weeks pregnant and due in January 2025. “Ken and I are expecting our very first child come January of 2025,” she said. “We’re both very excited. This was not planned at all, it was completely unexpected, but we’re both very excited to take on this new journey of parenthood.”
Blanchard, who was previously engaged to Urker in 2018, began dating him again after separating from her ex-husband, Ryan Anderson. The couple split earlier this year, just three months after they wed while she was still in prison for her role in the murder of her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard. Gypsy Rose was sentenced to 10 years for second-degree murder, while her then-boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, who carried out the killing, was sentenced to life in prison. Blanchard was released last year after serving seven years.
In her YouTube video, Blanchard shared that she is experiencing some pregnancy symptoms, including food cravings and mood swings. She also reflected on the profound changes that come with expecting a child. “Suddenly, it’s not about you,” she said. “It’s not about anything other than the tiny little life that’s inside you, that you are now in charge of protecting.” She became emotional as she expressed her desire to be a good mother, saying, “All of the things I wished I could have had when I was little… All of the things that I wanted in a mother, I want to give to this baby. I just want to be a good mother for my child, I want to be everything my mother wasn’t.”
Blanchard’s announcement has garnered a lot of attention, with many people expressing their support and excitement for her new journey. However, she also addressed concerns from some followers who questioned her readiness to be a mother. “I know that there are going to be people who feel like I’m not ready to be a mother,” she said. “I don’t know if anyone’s really ready to be a mother.”
Blanchard and Urker’s relationship has had its ups and downs. They first connected in 2017 when Urker wrote her a letter of support while she was in prison. He proposed to her in 2018, but their relationship ended in 2019. Blanchard went on to marry Ryan Anderson in a prison wedding ceremony in 2022. After her release and subsequent separation from Anderson, Blanchard reconnected with Urker, and they rekindled their romance.
In May, Blanchard’s stepmother, Kristy Blanchard, revealed that Urker was moving to Louisiana to be closer to Gypsy Rose. “Gypsy will finally get her happily ever after,” Kristy said. “Ken’s moving to New Orleans to be with her soon. He found a place. Gypsy is so excited to have him closer. A love like theirs comes once in a lifetime.”
Blanchard has been open about the challenges she faces as she transitions into this new phase of her life. In a December 2023 interview, she discussed how she would have to explain her past to her future children. “It’s hard because I’m going into a new life and I’m newly married, and I’m going to have kids one day, and I’m going to have to explain to my kids why their grandmother on mommy’s side isn’t around. And that’s going to be a really hard conversation.”
Despite her tumultuous past, Blanchard is determined to be a good mother and break the cycle of abuse she experienced. “Whenever someone says, ‘Do you think that because of what you went through, you’re going to do that to your kids?’ I say, ‘You know what? Absolutely not,'” she said. “I have learned what not to do. I have no concerns about my parenting when it comes to that.”
Blanchard’s pregnancy has brought her a sense of peace and purpose. “I feel a shift in myself. When I found I was pregnant, none of anything else mattered,” she said. “The drama, the social media, the feud between creator and me and all of that drama, just all faded. It didn’t matter anymore. All that matters is making sure that I’m healthy, the baby is healthy, my relationship with Ken is healthy and we are moving forward in a positive way.”
As Blanchard prepares for the arrival of her baby, she is focused on creating a loving and supportive environment for her child. “I just want to be a good mother for my child,” she said. “I want to be everything my mother wasn’t.”
Source: CBS News, PEOPLE, TODAY.com
