PEARLAND, Texas – On Monday, April 23, 2012, Lauren Perkins, of Pearland, gave birth to sextuplets at Texas Children's Hospital - Pavilion for Women, just one month after the hospital opened.
Five years later, Perkins checks in with the Pavilion for Women, which is celebrating five years since the birth of the first surviving sextuplets in Texas as well as the anniversary of the facility.
"It's pretty remarkable that we've had the largest set of multiples born at the pavilion," Perkins said. "I forget it's unusual because it's my day-to-day until we're at the store and someone makes a comment, and then it's like, 'Oh yea. It's pretty crazy that I carried six babies at once and they're all here and we're all good.' To me, it's a miracle and true testament of what God can do."
Perkins said she first struggled to get pregnant and visited the doctor several times. She and her husband Dave also went on a mission trip to Nicaragua to get prayed over, hoping she would become pregnant.
The couple decided to try one round of intra-uterine insemination and ovulatory stimulating drugs to conceive what they hoped would be their first baby.
Instead, they were blessed with six.
VIDEO: Mom of 5-year-old sextuplets talks daily life
"My brain was like, 'That's crazy, that's not possible,'" Lauren Perkins said. "And then he said, 'Wait I just found a sixth one,' and then Dave and I were in complete shock."
Lauren Perkins gave birth via C-section to three boys and three girls, weighing between 1 pound 10 ounces and 2 pounds 15 ounces.
Five years later, the sextuplets are in preschool, gearing up for kindergarten.
"We've survived the little years," said Perkins.
A day in their lives includes preschool class three days a week, swim, soccer and dance classes.
Each sibling has a personality all their own.
Andrew Noah: is the tallest of the Perkins pack and the most outgoing. "He's most likely to test his limits," Perkins said.
Benjamin Luke: is the most talkative and curious. He's a smooth talker who is able to talk his way out of being in trouble.
Caroline Grace: is the complicated one, Perkins said. She's the drama queen of the group and also a jack of all trades.
Alison Kate: is known as "little mommy" to her family. Alison is the smallest of the group, but likes to be in charge of her siblings.
Levi Thomas: is described in one word as, "goofball" by Perkins. Levi loves to entertain his siblings and also loves music.
Lea Michelle: is still in speech and developmental classes and Perkins says Lea is the hardest working of the bunch. She is also the happiest. "Her smile lights up her face," her mother said.
The kids love helping their mom cook, listening to music and playing outside.
“Part of me can’t believe we made it this far, I remember when they were babies, dreaming of this time like, ‘If I can just make it till when they’re four or five then we will be passed all the bottles and the potty training and the diapers. Then we will know we’re good, we can survive if we can make it to this age.’ And then I think, ‘We’re here, we’ve done it.’”