Emily Maynard, the beloved star from The Bachelorette, recently gave us a peek into her family life. She’s been quiet about her 20-year-old daughter, Ricki Hendrick, who just announced she’s expecting a baby. But now, Emily is opening up in a way only a loving mom can.
Ricki shared a video on her Instagram story last Thursday, September 11. In the clip, a fan asked her how her family felt about her having a baby "outside of marriage." Emily, 39, then popped into the video. She read the question aloud with a serious face. Then, she playfully joked about the whole situation. "Very much against it," Emily deadpanned. "I can’t believe anyone would do such a thing. Unforgivable." It was clear she was just having fun with her daughter.
Ricki wasn’t done showing off her mom’s playful side. In another Instagram story video, she continued the sarcastic act. "My mother is honestly so devastated, so upset," Ricki said, pretending to be sad. But as she spoke, the camera showed off a bunch of new baby items. There was a brand new crib and even a book all about being a grandmother. It seems Emily’s "devastation" was just a clever cover for her excitement.
Ricki kept up the joke, saying, "She’s not at all excited that I’m having a baby. In fact, she’s furious. She’s super mad. She can’t even look at me. She’s not supportive at all. She’s furious." It was all in good fun.
In a more serious note, Ricki added a caption to her video. She explained that Emily bought all the baby things herself. She also mentioned Emily isn’t even done shopping yet. "All this is at her house too, not even mine," Ricki wrote, showing how excited her mom really is to be a grandma.
Ricki first announced her pregnancy on August 26, also through an Instagram story. She shared a sonogram photo. Along with the image, Ricki used a quote from Huda Mustafa of Love Island USA. The quote said, "Netflix told me I’m not allowed to talk about it."
Ricki also shared a video of her baby moving. She added that her heart felt full, but her stomach felt empty. She joked that the baby "hates all food." Ricki believes the baby’s strong food opinions are already very clear.
She has continued to share updates about her pregnancy journey. This includes a sonogram from a routine check-up on Wednesday, September 10. "Anatomy scan with a baby who loves to hide its face," Ricki posted on her Instagram story. She said she wanted to bring home as many images as possible. "I had to go back two hours later to try and get them all," she wrote. Ricki sweetly added, "The only thing I noticed is that my angel, perfect gift from God, has very noticeable ears."
The story of Emily and Ricki’s family began with a heartbreaking loss. Emily was engaged to Ricki’s father, Ricky Hendrick, when he died in a plane crash in 2004. He was only 24. After his death, Emily found out she was pregnant. She was 19 when she welcomed her daughter, Josephine Riddick Hendrick. Emily calls her daughter Ricki, a loving tribute to her late fiancé.