Oh, baby baby!
A Brooklyn couple just welcomed their third consecutive set of twins in 5 years, Daily Mail reports. 32-year-old Jolene McKee and her 33-year-old husband Andrew have just welcomed their third consecutive set of twins, bringing the family to a total of 8 with six babies coming in just five years.
The couple now has Peyton and Paige, age five, Abigail and Andrew, three, and the newest additions to the McKee family, three-month-old Aiden, and Jaiden. All of the twins are fraternal, and the two couldn’t be happier.
(l to r) Andrew and Peyton, babies Aiden and Jaiden, Paige and Abigail. Photo Courtesy of The McKees/CATERS NEWS/Daily Mail
“I never envisioned myself with a big family. I thought I’d only have maybe one or two kids. But it is such a blessing that I have had six babies from just three pregnancies. When I discovered I was pregnant with twins for the third time, I just fully accepted that this must be what I was appointed to do,” Jolene said.
Initially, Jolene struggled to carry a pregnancy full term. She suffered a miscarriage before learning she was pregnant with her first set of twins three months later.
“I was so scared to go to the doctors for the scan after going through the pain of miscarrying. I was panicking the whole time because they were taking so long, and they called someone else in the room. And then they told me I was expecting twins. I couldn’t believe it. It was beautiful,” Jolene recalled.
(l to r) Peyton, middle twins Andrew and Abigail, and twin sister Paige. Photo Courtesy of The McKees/CATERS NEWS/Daily Mail
Two years after the birth of Peyton and Paige, they learned they were expecting again, Jolene immediately thinking it was twins. By the third time around, the two were stunned, even the doctor letting them know that in his 25 years of practice, he had never seen such an occurrence.
“After falling pregnant for the third time, I was 100 percent sure it couldn’t be another set of twins. I thought it would definitely be just one baby. So when we found out it was twins for the third time, we were in shock. The doctor was just as shocked as us. He said that in 25 years, he had never seen a woman have three sets of twins,” Jolene said.
Her multiple sets of twins are due to her overactive uterus, which causes her to drop two eggs at a time. Hyperovulation is caused by several things, including genetics, ending hormonal contraception, and just various medical conditions. Whatever the underlying cause, the couple is grateful for their unique family.
“I feel so lucky that we have all three combinations too, girl twins, boy-girl twins, and now our boy twins. It worked out perfectly…All of my pregnancies went really smoothly, but it was very different the second and third time around, being pregnant while also being an active mother. But I just had to push through,” Jolene said.
Dad Andrew McKee with youngest twins Aiden and Jaiden. Photo Courtesy of The McKees/CATERS NEWS/Daily Mail
While it is challenging to have six children ages five and under, the couple says it has gotten more manageable; the worst is the number of clothes that need washing weekly.
“After giving birth to Abigail and Andrew, it was challenging having two sets of twins. But twins was all that we knew, so it kind of felt like it got easier with each set. We knew how to handle it…I just accepted that this is what was meant for me, and I love it. Each child has their own different personalities, and although they’re twins, they each have their own little buddies. My favorite thing is watching them grow and progress. It really warms my heart,” Jolene said. “Organization is challenging with six kids, and it takes a lot to enforce a good schedule. It’s sometimes hard to keep up with all the laundry too. I do at least six loads of washing each week. But all the kids are really close and get on very well. I love our family, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Congratulations, McKees! May your family continue to be blessed!
Photo Courtesy of The McKees/CATERS NEWS/Daily Mail