November 12, 2019 • hometowns
Emily Maynard Calls Son Gatlin a ‘Bright Light’ in Sweet Birthday Post
They grow up so fast, don’t they?
Emily Maynard wrote a sweet tribute to her son Gatlin, who turned 2 on Tuesday. The Season 8 Bachelorette posted a slideshow of photos and videos in honor of her youngest baby’s big day. Photos include Gatlin matching with his older brothers Gibson and Jennings, as well as snapshots from when he was a baby. One constant throughout all the photos and videos are his striking blue eyes.
In her caption, Emily wrote about how she felt when she found out she was pregnant with her fourth child (her third with husband Tyler Johnson). She wrote, “happy 2nd birthday to my youngest baby, Gatlin Avery. When I found out I was pregnant with you I was worried about how I would be able to take on another baby, but you are such a bright light in our family and I couldn’t imagine our lives without you in it.”
Her caption went on, “You’re the silliest, sweetest boy with the best hugs and funniest laugh and I’m so happy God picked me to be your mommy! We love you Gatlin!”
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Gatlin is close in age to his two older brothers. Emily and Tyler wed in 2014; Jennings Tyler Johnson was born July 26, 2015, and Gibson Kyle Johnson was born September 16, 2016. Gatlin also has an older sister, Ricki. Her father Ricky Hendrick passed away in a plane crash in 2004, right before she was born.
Emily has spoken about having three kids in the span of less than three years and what it’s been like in their household. She told People in 2017, “I’ve always wanted a lot of kids. I made it clear on our first day, Listen, my clock’s ticking, and I’m ready to get on this!”
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However, taking trips to Target and other outings aren’t always easy. She’s joked that now that her kids are in school, she can “walk around Target alone.” In September 2018, she wrote about one particularly hectic day. She wrote, “Husband out of town. First day of school for 2 boys. Teething baby. Took daughter out of class and enrolled her in a new school. Im exhausted and have learned to pick my battles, so my 3 year old dressing as a Moana/Blippi inspired Bane was not one of them. Sorry for scaring you, other preschoolers.”
Happy birthday, Gatlin!
