Our Gender Announcement on Home & Family!

I want to start today’s post by thanking you all so much for all your love yesterday! We were so excited to share that we are having a little boy with all of you and the outpouring of love filled our hearts with so much joy! You guys are the absolute best!

I wanted to let you know that yesterday before I posted our announcement photo to Instagram, we filmed a segment on the TV show I work on (Home & Family) where I surprised my colleagues with our gender news! It was such a fun segment and I absolutely loved surprising them! If you get a chance to watch it, it’s on Hallmark Channel this morning. But don’t worry if you miss it today, it will re-air tomorrow since every episode re-airs after the next day’s new episode. As you can see from the look on Maria’s, Debbie’s, and Mark’s faces below, they were super happy for me and very surprised!

  1. EARRINGS | 2. DRESS | 3. PURSE | 4. HEELS

And I also want to thank all of you for all your name suggestions! I need to spend an entire day this weekend reading through all of your comments! And I wanna clear something up that maybe I made a little unclear yesterday. I’m not necessarily opposed to a three syllable or one syllable name. I just feel like I’m leaning toward a two syllable name. Also, I’m OK if the name can be shortened. But I just don’t want the name I choose to call my son to be the shortened version, if that makes sense. For example I kind of like the name Tommy but I don’t love the name Thomas. But I don’t think I would name him Tommy. I don’t know why that just sounds like a nickname to me. Hopefully that makes sense. So I’m open to names that can be shortened by others (he might shorten it or his peers might!) but I just want to be in love with the name before it’s shortened.

  1. EARRINGS | 2. DRESS | 3. PURSE | 4. HEELS

I also got a bunch of questions about the dress I wore on Home & Family yesterday (airs today) from my Instagram stories. I wore it because I knew I would be announcing the gender and I thought it was cute with both pink and blue in it! It’s non-maternity but I got my normal size, a size medium. I got so many compliments on it yesterday and so many questions from all of you that I had to put it in today’s blog post as well! And the thing that’s so great about it is that it comes in a ton of different sizes. From XXS to 2XL. My mint purse and blush tassel earrings are pretty stinkin cute too!

  1. EARRINGS | 2. DRESS | 3. PURSE | 4. HEELS

Anyway, thank you again so much for all your love! If you didn’t see this video that I posted on Instagram last night, I’ll just leave it here to watch cause it’s the cutest thing ever!

I leave you with this message from Molly Sullivan Manno…

70 Thoughts

70 thoughts on “Our Gender Announcement on Home & Family!

  1. Congrats on your little man!

    I just wanted to say thank you for all your honest blog posts! I remember reading a while back about your sleep training post with Molly. I’m currently up at 4am with my 8 week old little guy (Karter- 2 syllables/can’t be shortened 😉) and came to your blog this morning to re-read that post! This tired momma needs some help and your blog was my first thought!

    1. Awwww this means so much to me! I hope that blog post helps you and you are able to get some sleep! But double check with your doctor because I don’t thin sleep training is supposed to start until 3 months! xoxo

  2. Hey Ali,

    I’m 25 weeks along with my first, a boy! Finding a name has been a source of anxiety for me at the moment. I just love so many girl names but not many boy names. I think I’m leaning towards Oliver, with Ollie as the shortened version. However I know it’s a really popular name right now and I’m just not 100% sure if I love it. I’ll definitely be scanning all the comments to see if anyone has a good suggestion!

    Love your stuff :). Tori

    1. I think that super cute. I’ve never heard it shortened that way. Ollie is so much like Ali though so I don’t think that would work for us 😉

  3. Hi Ali
    Your co-workers are sooo happy for you & it shows! Your dress is super cute…just like you. 💙
    Congratulations!
    The cake…yum!

  4. Congrats to you and Kevin and Molly! I just have one comment. Boys are noise with dirt! …I have 2!

  5. Love the dress! Also love that it’s non maternity! for reference, did you buy your pre maternity size or go up to a medium to accommodate baby? I’m currently pregnant and trying to navigate new clothing, it’s been a little challenging! Thanks!

    1. I’m a medium pre-maternity. I ALWAYS get medium. So I say get your normal size. If you aren’t pregnant I think it’s supposed to be a loose fit. And if you are pregnant, then your belly will just fit underneath! Mine fits and I am getting so big!

  6. What about Nico? Nico Manno has a great ring to it! It sounds cute, popular, strong, and mature all at the same time!

  7. Love Molly’s little clap at the end!
    For boys names I like:
    Dylan
    Caleb
    Calvin
    Hunter
    Milo

    Lauren

  8. Congratulations!!! I’m so excited and happy for your family!! We just had our 3rd baby (our first boy!) and it’s trult amazing!! You are going to love it!! His name is Noah (in case you are looking for suggestions!). 😉. I can’t wait to see pictures of him and Molly together!! It is the best when they have a sibling close in age!!

  9. Hi Ali and family! I’m really happy for all of you! Your son is going to be Molly’s best friend and also so handsome:) So, not sure if it was already suggested but here are a few: Luke, Liam, Matthew, and Adam which is one of my favorite names in the whole world! Oh and Aaron. ❤️ Have a wonderful rest of your pregnancy.

  10. Congratulations!! We have an almost 9 month old- Bennett. We tend to call him Benny or B, but we get lots of compliments on his name. ❤️

  11. Omg is she not the cutest?! congrats to you all! Owen better not play favorites! Lol
    PS – Liam, Angus or Hendrix are cool boy names!

  12. Yay! Congrats! Being that Molly is such a classic, timeless name I can see you with a boy name similar feel. Not a trendy name. Not sure why but I can see you with a Jack or a Caleb. love them because you cant really shorten them to another name! (By the way my mom loved the name Nicole but really didnt like Nikki or Nic. When people would say it she would super politely correct them! Lol! She would say “im totally not trying to be a control freak but we really wanna keep her name Nicole” lol and it stuck that way)!!!

  13. Devin rhyms with Kevin. Boys are a handful for sure i have one his name i kept short 3 letters simple (Dev) but people think it is short for David or something . No it is not short for anything …it is a Indian name means god. He’s been called Devin too. Molly’s video is absolutley adorable! I watched it a 1000 times. Lol. Congrats! 💙💙💙

  14. I love the name Jude but it sounds horrible with my last name so I couldn’t use it with my boys. Bonus is that it doesn’t have a nickname so everyone would just call him Jude. I also love Will. Just Will, not William and also Miles. So those are my 3 suggestions, Jude, Will & Miles, all of which I think sound great with Molly!

  15. What about Lane (taken from your middle name)? I had a terrible time coming up with boys names….I ended up having two daughters (phew)! I wanted a Scottish name since my mom was born and raised there (and I lived there too). Those were the days before the internet, so I was left with a baby name book. My top choices were Alec and Callum. Good luck with finding that perfect name.

  16. Congratulations! I am so happy for you, Molly and Kevin! That video of Molly is so adorable, she is such a good talker! How did you work with her to get her talking so quickly?
    Btw, totally looking forward to family pics😊

  17. Congrats Ali! I love the video of Molly and I am so thrilled you and Kevin get to experience the best of both worlds with Molly and your baby boy. I’m still deciding if we want a second baby, and I have no idea what I would name the baby if it were a boy. I love the name June for a girl and we have our 19 month old daughter, Camden. I also like the name Camden for a little boy 🙂

    P.S. What is the brand of the sippy cup that Molly drinks out of?

  18. That video of Molly is absolutely adorable. You’re going to be so happy you have these someday when she is all grown up. How I wish there was such a thing when my kids were little! My children’s names are very traditional, not so with some of my grandkids. My youngest daughter has Odin and Otto, no nicknames there. Will be curious to see if they stay with the O theme for baby three.

    I also have a new great grandson named Wyatt which seems to be wildly popular right now along with Grayson which I’m hearing all over the place. The only thing I suggest and of course this is just my opinion, is to spell the name the traditional way. These names with y’s and odd spellings make it very hard, no one can ever spell your name correctly, even if it’s just a simple name. Trust me, I grew up with that. I am Jacquelyn and my name is NEVER spelled right. So I try to tell people to stay away from the unusual spellings of traditional names.

    Can’t wait to hear what you come up with for baby boy!!

  19. Congratulations to you, Kevin and Molly and of course Owen!! What an adorable family. Love, love, love the video. She is too precious and will be an awesome big sis! Turner is my son’s name and is very unique. We have only met a few and of course he is one of a kind. 💙

  20. Congratulations! I cannot wait to see pictures of your baby boy. It may not be a two syllable name but my brothers name is Trent and we call him Trenty affectionately. Lots of love from South Africa xx

  21. I’m so happy for y’all! A girl and a boy. Perfect! My son’s name is Hardy Lane. We always get compliments on it because it’s different. We also loved Miles and Rhett. Good luck with the name picking process. It’s such a big decision!

  22. My first son’s name is Johnnie and people always this it’s short for Jonathon. Nope!! His actual official name is Johnnie, named after his great grandpa. I hope he never starts going by John, I’d be sad haha! And my second son is Ty. That’s it. Not Tyler, Tyson, etc. But once again people always think it’s a nick name! Wishing you so much love and health to your growing family! In my head your my friend and I got tears eyed during your announcement video:)

  23. Hi Ali,

    Congrats on the lil’ boy! I have two boys, and love both their names. Austin, now 23, is often shortened to Aus or Ozzie. And John Michael, almost 19, has a plethora of nicknames! Both of my boys played a ton of sports growing up, and that seems to be how mine received the majority of their nicknames. John Michael is still called both names (his first and middle) by family, or simply JM. He now plays college baseball and is often Johnny, Johnny Mikes, Johnny big time, lol… Guys come up with brilliant nicknames for one another organically. Please consider the classic names too and your husband’s last name will be cool to work with as well. Have fun!

  24. Eek!! So happy for you and your growing family! Can’t wait to read more about the rest of your pregnancy and all the excitement that I’m sure will come along with it! That video of Molly is the CUTEST!!! <3

  25. Congratulations!

    We named our second son Eli. It isn’t short for Elijah or any other version. He’s simply…Eli. Such a spunky guy.

    That’s my suggestion!

  26. Congrats….How exciting its a boy….my husband and I will have our 3rd grandchild March 12th…we are sooo excited and already have 2 girls….good luck Alie…on now to your comments for bachelor!

  27. Congrats! Baby boys are the best!
    How do you get Molly to talk so much and clearly? My little one is 21 months and babbles like crazy but the words don’t make sense to me!?

  28. Congrats Ali,

    I hope that my email reaches you!

    So glad that your having a boy…
    I would take a boy over a girl anytime since I had a boy..lol! Boys are so much fun! Wait until you see.

    There’s just something so special on having a boy that I can’t explain.. I think that it’s a special love that they have that they only give to their mom.
    You’ll see soon enough when PRESTON is born!

    I threw in my great nephews name just in case you had liked the name. Haha!

    I also have another great nephew his name is EMILLIO..
    I guess with that name you can tell that he is Italian!

    I’m so excited for you,
    Kevin and Molly. Now Molly has someone to protect her from all the boys chasing after her. Lol!

    Thanks again for just being you!

    Stay safe and be bless,

    Love,
    Diana

  29. Oh my goodness, that video of Molly is precious! Her voice is adorable! I shared a few names yesterday—Cameron, Peter and I can’t remember the third one 😊 ! Thanks for sharing your thoughts regarding syllables and nicknames. I also love Spencer, Kirk, Colby, Taylor and Bryson. You probably won’t want to use Kirk because of the Kirk on your season of The Bachelor. One of our sons is named Kirk Hunter. His middle name is some good friend’s last name. I hate guns and hunting, but I do love the name Huntet and noticed a few people mentioning it. I love do many boys’ names! Teaching for 10 yrs. eliminated some, though!☺️

  30. Hey Ali,
    Congrats on your growing family! I’m so excited for you guys and the precious boy joining your family! Molly is going to make the best big sister!!
    I’m a recent follower of your blog but have loved your segments on H&F. I don’t always get to watch the whole H&F shows since I am chasing my 11 month old daughter around but I love all your diy projects and all the amazing momma advice on this blog. My hubby and I would love to grow our family in the next few months so your blog has become my favorite go to for pregnancy and mom advice. Thank you for sharing your beautiful journey with us!

  31. I am a teacher, and I hear so many names every year. I never hear the names Beau, and Griffin. I love these names! My boys are Will & Tucker, which I love, but if I had more children, Beau & Griffin would be at the top of my list! Good luck!

  32. My son is a Tyler. I love having a traditional name for him. I did end up creating his own nickname. We call him T-Bone. He loved it when he heard that name on Clifford the Big Red Dog.

  33. Congratulations!!! Looks like its
    BOY Season!! Just found out on tuesday I’m having a boy as well!! Best of luck on this amazing journey- so glad we get to experience the best of both worlds! 🎀💙 I have two girls!

  34. Hi Ali,
    Congrats! I have a toddler girl & baby boy too. It’s Awesome! Love having my girl first because you really get to overload on all the cute things with them when they’re babies (headbands, dresses, leg warmers, etc..) It’s nice to have a boy second because you become so busy with two kids, footie pajamas & messy hair is cute enough for a boy (you’ll know what I mean soon).

    Boy Names:
    Damian
    Wyatt
    Xander

  35. Congratulations Manno Fam! 💙 I totally share your name-game thoughts.. in my experience, one of the most difficult parts of pregnancy! My little man is Landon. Big fan 😉

  36. Molly’s video is so stinkin’ cute! I haven’t seen a video posted like that before, I love it!

    My husband and I are currently hoping to have baby #1 on the way soon, so I’m comment reading to find name inspiration!! We want a boy first, but would obviously be happy with either one.

    I think Liam fits for y’all for some reason. But I also like Connor (Conner) and Lincoln!

    I love your stuff and almost always buy your outfits!!

  37. In terms of names that can be shortened or not – my brother’s name is Patrick and he goes by either Pat or Patrick – totally interchangeable.

  38. I get the feeling a name with meaning will mean more to you ! Look through the family tree, first and middle names. I love to honor people past or present. I have a daughter Ally (Allison) who is 10. We NEVER use Allison and I can already see it becoming an issue. Good Luck:)

  39. Kevin and you will come up with a great name. My son is Tanner Reese and I get compliments on his name all the time. My son is 15, so he wasn’t named after Tanner from bachelor nation. Good luck picking out a name! It was fun picking out a name when I was pregnant.

  40. Congratulations on having a boy! I have 2 and they bring me such joy! My youngest is named Leo, and I absolutely still love his name. My brother and his wife just adopted a little guy and named him Amos. It is a perfect name for him and I love that it is not a popular name. Good luck! Choosing a name is so hard.

  41. Congratulations! Molly is going Love being a sister wish you and your all the happiest.

    Here some baby names
    Cody
    Ryan
    Toby
    Noah

  42. Congratulations!!! Older sisters are the best. My son has two :). Now that they are in their 20’s they love being together even when we are not around. They are all best friends which is honestly the greatest gift to us as parents. Enjoy picking a name. I won’t offer any suggestions ~ you will pick out the perfect name. Enjoy this time in your life and thanks for the blog posts I really enjoy them.

  43. I’ve always like unique names that no one else has. I named my second child Griffin and was going to name a girl Grayson, but I have heard that used for a boy as well. Make his name something he can call his own!

  44. I felt the same way about my son’s name! Ultimately we chose Colby Bennett 😊 Also I am a labor&delivery RN and Ive heard evwry nae out there in the last 15 years! Some of my favorites:
    Colby
    Bennett
    Beckett
    Ryder
    Parker
    Bodhi
    Brody
    Wyatt
    Caleb
    Callum
    Sawyer
    Good Luck!!!

    Beverly James 💗

  45. You asked for baby names. Hudson, Danner, Branson. My daughter names our favorite waitresses son. Her tree prevoius children were “H” names and she said Hudson. That is what she named him. God bless you and your growing family.

  46. Hello everyone,it is almost two months now since i requested a pregnancy spell cast on me from Fertility Cure and he also gave my husband some herbal medicine to use in improving his fertility as a male. I was introduced to Fertility Cure true a friend of mine who told me on how he helped a couple to get pregnant and i contacted him via fertility cure@yahoo.com after which i started seeing changes on my body since the first week of last month and it two months and i am carrying my own baby in my womb i am so happy that i finally got pregnant after all i have been through. contact him for any problems you are having, he will surely provide you a solution. All thanks be to him.

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