AFL great Gary Ablett has announced he and his wife Jordan are expecting their third child.
The former Cats and Suns superstar revealed the news in a heartwarming Instagram post featuring his son Levi.
On Levi’s birthday on Sunday, Ablett posted an image of the happy youngster holding an ultrasound image, believed to show his future sibling.
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“The birthday boy wants to share the gift that we as a family have received,” Ablett wrote alongside the image.
“Happy Birthday my little man, I’m thankful for everyday I get to spend with you.”
Jordan share the same image to social media alongside the caption: “We have another gift on the way.
“Happy birthday to our big four-year-old! You’re so loved.”
Their posts were flooded with happy messages from around the AFL world including from Ablett’s former teammates Tom Stewart, Jed Bews and Gryan Miers.
The happy news comes just over a year since the pair welcomed their second child Grace into the world.
Gary and Jordan have been extremely public about both the joys and struggles of their family life.
Their four-year-old son Levi lives with a rare and degenerative disease which means he has a short life expectancy and he will likely never speak.
“It’s really difficult from a practical point of view but also really difficult just being his mum and not being able to hear his voice or know what he needs,” Jordan has told the Herald Sun.
“When he gets upset, I have to guess what the problem is.
“It’s also difficult because I’d love to just hear his thoughts, have conversation with my boy and for us to know he understands how much we love him.”
If that wasn’t enough to overwhelm any parent, Jordan revealed in July she still carries the regret of not having her son medically assessed before the moment she knew something was wrong in March 2020.
“These photos were taken back in March of 2020. Levi was a few months past his first birthday and while on set it became clear as day that something wasn’t right,’’ she wrote in July, alongside a photo collage from a studio photo shoot.
“I remember the photographer asking me if Levi could stand/sit and I said no and as we continued taking photos I was thinking ‘this isn’t right’.
“When I attempted to get him into a standing position he wouldn’t put any weight through his legs at all, he was super floppy in all positions, had really poor head control and for the most part (if not the entire time) kept his hands clenched tight.”
Her post was motivated to be a message to other parents not to delay acting on any suspicions they have about their kids’ health.
“I still cherish all my photos with my boy, but I must say there is a tinge of sadness when I look at some because I don’t understand how things went under the radar for so long,’’ Jordan wrote.
“Not having had a child before Levi I couldn’t compare and didn’t know what’s typical of a baby and what’s not. If you have the slightest doubt about your child’s development, whether merely a thought or an unrelenting gut-feeling like we did, I encourage you to voice your concerns with a professional and persist if your concerns remain.
“If there happens to be a problem then you’re the parent who knew and put baby first because you love them and want them to be well. If there is no problem then you’re the parent who was unsure and put baby first because you love them and want them to be well. No harm can come from asking questions and seeking professional support. Felt like I needed to share this!”
