She is currently on her way to 11th place, as Courtney is Pʀᴇɢɴᴀɴᴛ again and expecting her fifth daughter on November 19.
The family, who live on a 12-acre ranch in Sante Fe County, New Mᴇxɪᴄᴏ, now has six Bᴏʏs, four Gɪʀʟs, Courtney and Chris. Everyone in the family has a name that starts with C.
Courtney, who shares the family’s life on Instagram, said: “We are so happy to be looking forward to it again. I was always worried because we had a Mɪꜱᴄᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇꜱ the first two months of pregnancy, but now we are. It’s been 33 weeks and so excited. We can’t wait to keep this little one.”
Life with 10 children has been quite hectic. Chris and Courtney are so busy raising – and homeschooling – kids that they only have time for one date night a year.
It’s also expensive. Parents spend $1,200 a month on food for the family, while Christmas sees them spend $1,000 just on children’s gifts when parents have no presents.
The family had to find a way to earn every penny, stopping unnecessary eating and shopping, which cost them more than $1,000 a month, back in January. Save money by distributing clothes to older children, their big treat being an annual weeklong camping trip near their relatives in Georgia 1,500 miles away – costing $1,000 (780). pounds) for travel and expenses.
But for Courtney, having a large family makes all the hustle and bustle worth it.
The mother said: “We want 12 children, a family of 14. My husband is the eldest of 10 years old, so before we got married he joked about having as many children as his mother.
‘The kids want us to be like the movie Cheaper by the Dozen, where parents compromise their careers to raise 12 children. Having multiple babies in diapers at once and multiple strollers is normal life for us.”
Courtney and Chris first met at a church camp in Georgia in 2007, and were married a year later. Five months after they miscarried their first child together, Courtney became Pʀᴇɢɴᴀɴᴛ again with their first son, Clint, now 10. Since then, the couple have welcomed Clay, nine, Cade, eight, Callie, seven, Cash, five, twins Colt and Case, five, Calena, three, Caydue, two, and Coralee , One year old.
“I love being Pʀᴇɢɴᴀɴᴛ,” said Courtney, who has never had morning sɪᴄᴋness and chose not to use birth control.
“I like to develop a different person inside of me, think about what they will be like and pick names. I am the only mother at our church with so many children. I think the most anyone else has is four. But I’ve never felt comfortable taking birth control, because I don’t like the idea of taking the pill and I love having a big family.”
Every day Courtney wakes up with Coralee at 7:30 a.m., gets the other kids ready, and prepares a breakfast cereal and fruit for the family at 8 a.m. The older kids all have chores and help with the cleaning after breakfast, before class starts – taking a break after a few hours to help with the farm work.
Everyone prepares to make a simple lunch of sandwiches or leftovers, before the kids nap and the others watch a movie or do their own chores. Chris usually comes home from work for dinner, but sometimes works late, doing Oᴅᴅ jobs around town, like construction, landscaping, or helping with remodels to earn extra money.
Also environmentally conscious, Courtney uses cloth diapers and wipes during the day and bamboo wipes at night, which are compostable. Courtney has been advised by her doctors after the cesarean section to allow more time between pregnancies, but don’t worry – having a big, healthy family is the most important thing.
Courtney said: ‘I have been criticized for keeping my children too ᴄʟᴏsᴇ, but I take care of myself and the children very well. People who ask how I can give all my children my full attention are often the ones who send them to school. I don’t understand their logic when I’m around my kids 24 hours a day.”
