Mackynzie Duggar

Mackynzie in September 2020

### Siblings

Michael Duggar, Marcus Duggar, Meredith Duggar, Mason Duggar, Maryella Duggar, Madyson Duggar

Mackynzie Renee Duggar is the oldest of Josh and Anna Duggar's seven children.

## Early Life

### Pregnancy and Birth

After taking a number of negative pregnancy tests, Anna grew discouraged and decided not to look any more, leaving the test for Josh to find. He announced the pregnancy test to her by saying "You're going to join the mommy team!" The couple then immediately called Anna's family, then visited Josh's family to share the happy news.

 On April 13, 2009, Josh and Anna Duggar announced publicly that they were expecting their first child. As Josh was the only married child of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar at the time, this announcement was noteworthy as the child would be the first grandchild for the couple, whose family was the subject of the reality show *18 Kids and Counting.* Josh shared his excitement, saying "I am very excited and am learning new ways every day that I can be there for my wife."

On June 15, 2009, Josh and Anna appeared on the Today Show, where they cut into a cake to learn the sex of their first child. When they cut into the cake, they learned, along with America, that they would be having a girl. Josh spoke on the show about his experiences preparing to be a father, saying, "I think you can prepare only in so many ways, but really just realizing that you're going to be a role model for that child, and be able to be prepared as you can be to be able to take on that. It's an interesting experience, but I have great parents to look to." Josh also said that he'd be happy with a small family: "We'd be happy with two or three; I think children are a blessing though, so we're just thankful for the one that God has given us, and we'll take 'em one at a time."

On July 31, 2009, Josh and Anna announced via People Magazine that they had chosen a name for their daughter (due October 20): Mackynzie Renee Duggar. "We won't decide that now," Josh said when asked if all of their children would have names that began with the letter M, a tradition his parents kept with the letter J. "We'll take one at a time." "My favorite part of pregnancy is feeling the baby move and kick," Anna said in the interview. "And, it is so neat watching Josh enjoy the pregnancy and bond with Mackynzie. It had brought our relationship closer together."

On September 1, 2009, Jim Bob and Michelle announced that they were expecting again. The baby, who would be the couple's nineteenth child, was due to be born after their first grandchild. "My sister and my mother were having babies at the same time, so I have nieces and nephews older than me," Michelle said when asked about this. "It was a great time because we really have close relationships with my nieces and nephews."

   On October 9, 2009, Josh and Anna Duggar announced via People Magazine that they had given birth to Mackynzie. In the announcement, they revealed that the newborn was named for a cousin of Josh's and that she shared Anna's middle name. At birth, Mackynzie weighed 8 pounds and was 19 1/2 inches long. Although Josh and Anna originally planned to give birth in the hospital, they ultimately decided to give birth at home with the assistance of a midwife, a doula, and Josh's eighteen-year-old sister Jill. This decision was made due to Anna's doctor, Amy Sarver, being out of town when she went into labor.

On December 10, 2009, Mackynzie's grandmother, Michelle, gave birth to her nineteenth child, Josie Brooklyn Duggar. Born at only 25 weeks old, Josie was met with a number of medical issues. Josie, who was not due until March, became the youngest of Mackynzie's fourteen aunts (Josh's 10 sisters and Anna's 4). Another of Mackynzie's aunts, Jordyn-Grace Duggar, was eight days away from her first birthday, meaning that for eight days every year Mackynzie and her two aunts are the same age.

    In June of 2013, Mackynzie moved to Oxon Hill, MD, with her family so her father could start a new job working for the Family Research Council. She and her family lived in a 5 bedroom, 4 bathroom home.

On June 9, 2015, amidst a scandal involving Mackynzie's father, she and her family were seen moving back to Arkansas, where Josh's family lived. When a second scandal broke, Josh checked into a rehab program and Anna took Mackynzie and her siblings to spend time with her family in Florida. After this time, they returned to Arkansas where they lived with Josh's family until he moved back home in March of the following year. Mackynzie has lived with her family somewhere in northwest Arkansas since then.

## Resume

### Television Appearances

Before she was even born, Mackynzie was the subject of a number of episodes in season 2 of the TLC show *18 Kids and Counting*. These episodes heavily featured her pregnancy, beginning with Anna learning she was pregnant, the couple learning the sex, and regular updates throughout. On October 13, 2009, the episode "First GrandDuggar!" featured Mackynzie's birth. After her that, she was regularly seen on the show (which was later renamed *19 Kids and Counting*) until its cancellation in 2015.

In December of 2015, TLC released a three-part special called *Jill & Jessa: Counting On*, which focused on the Duggar family as they moved on from Josh's scandals. These specials were picked up as a regular series, which was renamed *Counting On*. Although she is not the primary focus of the show, Mackyznie is featured more frequently than the rest of her family as she is occasionally lumped in with her youngest four aunts for storylines.

### Singing Experience

At some point during 2018, Mackynzie recorded an album along with her youngest four aunts, Johannah, Jennifer, Jordyn, and Josie Duggar. That album, "Happy Heart", was released on August 1, 2018. On August 6, 2018, the recording of the album was featured on the *Counting On* episode "Unexpected". Following the episode's release, many members of the family advertised for the album on social media.

## Wedding Involvement

    Mackynzie has been involved in the following weddings:

* flower girl: her aunt Priscilla Keller's wedding to David Waller (2/4/10)
* flower girl: her aunt Jill Duggar's wedding to Derick Dillard (6/21/14)
* flower girl: her first cousin once removed's Amy Duggar's wedding to Dillon King(9/5/15)

*profile photo credit*

## References

1. ↑ "Duggars on a Double Date". *18 Kids and Counting*. TLC. Silver Spring. 12 May. 2009. Television.
2. ↑ http://people.com/babies/another-duggar-on-the-way/
3. ↑ http://www.today.com/parents/surprise-first-duggar-grandchild-girl-wbna31366760
4. ↑ http://people.com/babies/joshua-and-anna-duggar-reveal-babys-name/
5. ↑ http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/jim-bob-michelle-duggar-18-kids-counting-expecting-baby-number-19-article-1.198289
6. ↑ http://people.com/babies/duggar-family-welcomes-first-grandchild/
7. ↑ http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-moms/news/josh-and-anna-duggar-2009910
8. ↑ https://people.com/parents/duggar-family-welcomes-first-grandchild/
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "First GrandDuggar!". *18 Kids and Counting*. TLC. Silver Spring. 13 Oct. 2009. Television.
10. ↑ http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Television/michelle-duggar-birth-19th-child-emergency-section/story?id=9311401
11. ↑ https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/josh-duggar-spotted-moving-maryland-home-article-1.2252215
12. ↑ http://people.com/tv/josh-duggar-in-rehab-reformers-unanimous-treating-addiction-in-a-biblical-way/
13. ↑ "Baby Shower & A New Home." *Jill & Jessa: Counting On*. TLC. Silver Spring. 20 Dec. 2015. Television.
14. ↑ http://people.com/tv/josh-duggar-leaves-rehab/
15. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Heart-Duggar-Girls/dp/B07G5PCYDK
16. ↑ https://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/counting-on/full-episodes/unexpected?
17. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BmOXThBACPF/
18. ↑ http://davidlovespriscilla.com/2012/03/27/wedding-pictures/2012\_02\_04\_kls\_0107/
19. ↑ http://r.ddmcdn.com/w\_1008/s\_f/o\_1/cx\_0/cy\_0/cw\_1008/ch\_672/TLC/uploads/2014/10/19-kids-jill-derick-wedding\_0019.jpg
20. ↑ http://starcasm.net/archives/328406