The mom of three opens up about expecting her fourth child with the Olympic swimmer.
Michael Phelps and his wife, Nicole Johnson, are adding another baby boy to their growing family! On Thursday, the mother of three revealed that she and the Olympic swimmer were having their fourth boy, who will join brothers Boomer, 7, Beckett, 5, and Maverick, 4.
"I would have loved to have a daughter for Michael so he could have that father-daughter bond that I experienced growing up," Nicole tells Today. "But I strongly believe you're given what you're supposed to have, and I'm really excited to have another boy.
"Sometimes it's difficult when people say, 'Oh, you need that girl,'" she adds. "I'm like, 'No, I really don't.'"
The former Miss California announced her fourth pregnancy on Tuesday via an Instagram post celebrating the couple's anniversary. She shared a photo of the proud parents -- who first met in 2007 and married in 2016 -- standing together at an NFL game where Nicole has her baby bump on full display. In the caption, she wrote, "for those that are wondering… yes! we're expecting our 4th Phelps in 2024."
"Happy Anniversary to my best friend, hubby and partner thru life," she continued. "I couldn’t have asked for anyone better!"
Nicole recalls learning of her latest pregnancy to Today, noting that it took her "some time to process" the news.
"After I took the test, I came out of the bathroom and Michael asked, 'What's wrong?' He said, I looked like I had seen a ghost," Nicole shares. "He was ecstatic. Michael has been excited from the start."
She continues, "I personally believe in pretty much sacrificing two years of my life to this new baby. But we are so excited. I don't even want to call him a surprise because he is wanted. He's the bonus we didn't know we needed."
Nicole also shares that Boomer, Beckett and Maverick have already landed on a name they love for their little brother.
"They love the name Drifter. The running joke is that the baby's name is going to be Drifter," she says. "The sweetest thing is how genuinely excited the boys are to meet their brother," she says. "Having four boys will be crazy but wonderful."
For more celebrity baby news, watch the clip below.
RELATED CONTENT:
