It’s the birth the whole country is waiting for – the first grandchild of the late Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin. And as the arrival of Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell’s first child fast approaches, a family friend exclusively tells New Idea that the loved-up pair are making big plans for their baby girl!
WATCH: Bindi Irwin’s exciting baby update
“Bindi has a lot of ideas about how the birth will look. Her dream scenario is to have the baby at home, with just Chandler, Terri and a midwife present,” says the source, who notes that thanks to her work as a conservationist, Bindi is also preparing for the unexpected.
“After seeing so many animals give birth, she knows things don’t always go according to plan, so she’ll have her doctor on standby in case she needs to go in to hospital.”
Despite how organised the first-time mum is, our source insists Bindi, 22, best turn her attention to her post-birth plan, as life at home is set to become chaotic.
Space at the Irwin family home inside Australia Zoo is “fast becoming an issue”, reveals the source. “Bindi and Chandler had wanted to move into their own place, but the past year has made them nervous financially. For now, they’re staying put at the family home.
“Terri’s expecting she’ll be booted from her own bedroom so Chandler and Bindi can have it – Bindi’s buying stuff for the nursery at a rate of knots and it doesn’t fit in her comparatively smaller room.
“They all have to make some adjustments, having a baby in this new normal.”
According to New Idea’s insider, this “new normal” also includes increased duties for Florida-born Chandler, 24, as Terri has been reluctant to let Australia Zoo staff in their home due to the growing COVID-19 clusters.
“Chandler has been stepping up on the domestic duties as Bindi’s bump gets bigger. She loves that he’s the vacuumer and bathroom-cleaner-in-chief. His initiative to make all their lives easier is only making her fall in love even more.”
Bindi’s younger brother Robert, 17, is also said to be helping any way he can.
“They found some of Bindi’s old baby clothes that are still in good nick, so they’re getting those out for her new baby. It’s been a super-emotional bonding experience for them all,” says the insider.
However, it’s been a case of “mixed emotions” for homesick Chandler, who’s missing his parents, Chris and Shannan, in America terribly.
“Terri is being a great support,” says the source. “She’s always been a bit of a second mum to him.
“Steve is also never far from their thoughts. They know he would have been an amazing grandfather.”
First baby photos
Preparing to become a grandmother for the first time is softening a “usually hard” Terri.
According to New Idea’s insider, Terri, 56, has gone a tad baby crazy and is poring over photos and videos of Bindi as a newborn. She also can’t stop reminiscing about the day she and Steve brought Bindi home.
“She’s feeling very sentimental,” says the source.
There’s no denying that Bindi was a cute baby, while childhood photos of Chandler are just as adorable.
“Everyone is wondering who the baby girl is going to take after. No doubt she’ll be a good mix of them both!”
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