A video (below) of an Illinois grandfather finding out his newest grandchild is a boy has gone viral.
For several generations, James Patrick was the only man in the family, the Daily Mail reported. He had two sisters, four daughters and two granddaughters.
Patrick went to meet his third grandchild for the first time on his 49th birthday. He was told he was having yet another granddaughter, but when he showed up to the hospital, he got the surprise of a lifetime.
When Patrick stepped in closer to observe the baby, his daughter, Carie Elbe, pulled back the newborn’s blanket to reveal a T-shirt that read: “FYI: I’m a boy!”
Patrick doesn’t seem to catch on right away, perhaps out of disbelief. He asks his daughter where she bought the shirt and why.
“I ordered it… Because it’s a boy!” Elbe responded.
Patrick still appeared shocked.
“No way,” the grandfather says, before playfully calling his family “brats.” Patrick is then seen wiping tears from his eyes.
Elbe said keeping the news a secret was no easy task.
“Dad has been the only boy in a long line of girls, so when we found out the baby’s gender at 20 weeks, we knew we had to keep it from him,” Elbe told the Daily Mail. “The problem was our daughter, who is four, already knew so we had to talk her into keeping it a secret.
“Most of my friends and family knew, it was only Dad that didn’t, which was incredible hard at times.
“He was thrilled for another grandbaby either way, but the way he found out that it was a boy and on his birthday as well, that was just the best.
“I just can’t believe we managed to pull it off.”
The video is now making rounds all over social media.
“My dad is still in disbelief with it all, but he absolutely loves baby Landry James,” Elbe added. “I still cry every time that I watch it.”
Several social media users commented on the video, mostly congratulating the family on their new addition.
“Well those tears dropped with everyone else!! Thanks so much for the video, I was waiting on something,” wrote one Facebook user.
“This video made my day…what a fun family you have…you should be very proud and I’m sure you are,” wrote another.
“So sweet! I think I saw Grandpa’s chest puff up with pride! Congrats to all on a happy, healthy baby. God bless!” added another user.