A real-life family resembling the one from Cheaper By The Dozen is now expecting their 12th baby.
- A couple is expecting their 12th baby in March, after having their first one just 11 years ago.
- Courtney and Chris Rogers share they and their kids wanted to become the real-life version of the family from Cheaper By The Dozen.
- Fearing there might be complications as she gives birth to her 12th baby, the mom shares it would probably be the last one.
Almost 12 years after having their first child, Courtney and Chris Rogers from Santa Fe County, New Mexico, are now expecting their 12th baby. Curiously, the couple shares their kids begged them to have just one more sibling so their family can be exactly like the one in the iconic comedy movie Cheaper By The Dozen.
Both Courtney, a 37-year-old stay-at-home mother, and Chris, a 33-year-old church pastor, are “so excited” to welcome their newest family member in March, as they “had wanted 12.”
As per Daily Mail, the mom-of-11 shares:
“I’m very thankful that it’s happening, and the kids are still going to be close in age. I love it and I love being a stay-at-home mom. The new baby will be here right around when my oldest turns 12, in March next year.
One reason my kids wanted us to have 12 is because of the movie, Cheaper By The Dozen. They’ve been wanting me to have another one and kept asking for, ‘Just one more, Mom, just one more.'”
All of Rogers’ kids’ names start with the letter ‘C’, just like their parents.
Although the family still doesn’t know the gender of baby number twelve, they are absolutely sure its name will start with the letter ‘C’, just like its parents and its siblings – Clint, 11, Clay, 10, Cade, eight, Callie, eight, Cash, six, six-year-old twins Colt and Case, Calena, four, Caydie, three, Coralee, two, and Caris, nine months.
Apart from raising 11 children, the Rogers are also looking after their 12-acre plot with 140 animals. They document their extraordinary lives on Instagram, sharing pictures and videos of their everyday adventures.
Courtney, who admits she did not expect to have so many children when she married Chris, recalls:
“When we got married, I was 24. Then we had an early pregnancy loss, so Clint wasn’t born until just before I turned 26. At that point, I didn’t think I was starting motherhood that early. I had no clue we’d have this many. I did want to have a big family, but it was quite a surprise to get here and, so far, have everything working out as planned.
We’re hoping to find out the sex of the baby in the first week of October. My husband would like a girl – that way we’d be completely even with six boys and six girls. But I would like another boy, because it’s been so long since we’ve had a baby boy. Either way, one of us will get our wish.”
Naturally, after giving birth to not one, not two, but 11 kids, the stay-at-home mom fears there might be delivery complications when it’s time for the 12th baby.
She discloses:
“My youngest, Caris, had a scary beginning, so we’re a little bit nervous, but we also know we’re going to have a different delivery plan this time around. She was also nine days past her due date. We kept waiting and she just didn’t want to come.”
While giving birth to Caris, Courtney needed an emergency C-section, as doctors feared the tot was not receiving enough oxygen. The baby then spent 15 days in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU). The medical workers warned her parents she could face developmental delays.
Fortunately, Caris defied the expectations and was welcomed into this world as a happy and healthy baby girl.
As for baby number twelve, Courtney says:
“This time we’re going to have a scheduled C-section at around 36-37 weeks.”
The couple is still home-schooling their children, but they hope the older ones would have the opportunity to shift to online school as the subjects get harder.
Courtney explains:
“That way someone can teach them while I focus on the little ones’ maths and reading.”
However, being a family of 13, soon 14, space remains their major concern. The mom shares:
“We have a 15-passenger van, but when we go on trips, it gets very crowded and we usually have to pull a trailer. The last time we took a vacation, we rented a house, because we’re just getting too big for even two hotel rooms and run out of space.”
The couple is also extending their home to fit their big family.
“My husband’s been working on it and it should be done by Christmas. We’ll have seven bedrooms, four bathrooms – so two kids to a room.”
Despite receiving negative comments from online haters, Courtney plans to continue documenting their wholesome family life.
She says:
“Mostly people are supportive. We get some rude comments, as there are always going to be people that don’t like big families. But now we’re used to it, it doesn’t bother us. There are always going to be people who have a different opinion to you.”
The 37-year-old mom adds that after having her 12th child, this would be the final addition to their family.
“Due to my age and health, most likely this will be my last one. We wanted to get to 12 and I really don’t want to go on having any more C-sections. It’s going to be as I turn 38, so physically, I don’t know if I’ll be able to have any more.
I’m sad, but I’m glad also that we have time to mentally prepare – rather than all of a sudden a doctor saying, ‘You can’t have any more.’
I’m still going to be sad, because I like babies. Once they all start getting older, it will be tough for us. But for now, we’re focused on welcoming baby number 12 and becoming the real life Cheaper By The Dozen family.”
