The Truth About The Three Oldest Sons On Sweet Home Sextuplets

The Waldrop family is known for being almost too big, even for the massive farm in Alabama they call home. Aside from parents Courtney and Eric, there are sextuplets to contend with and three older boys the couple had prior to their miracle birth. And although they're not the primary focus of Sweet Home Sextuplets, the three eldest kids keep their parents just as busy as their younger siblings. 

Season three of the hit TLC show just kicked off, and things are even crazier for the Waldrops as the sextuplets enter the terrible twos. Every squabble amongst the nine kids — and their parents — is about to be magnified, as the third season sees all 11 family members sharing a cramped 1,500 square-foot mobile home while the family abode is being renovated, per People. 

Former teacher Courtney and business owner Eric have been together since eighth grade, tying the knot in 2004, according to WHNT News. They always wanted children, with Courtney admitting, "I knew I wanted a houseful." (She certainly got her wish and then some!) The couple's firstborn, a boy they named Saylor, arrived in December 2008, and twin sons, Wales and Bridge, followed in January 2012, People reported.

Although the sextuplets' subsequent birth threw them for a bit of a loop, the proud parents were adamant that the three eldest boys wouldn't feel left out. As Courtney told WAFF 48, "We've made it a point to not slow down for the big boys. We don't want to hold them back. They continue to do everything they've always done, play every sport and Eric coaches them."

And the big brothers don't seem to mind the family's new additions: "Our three boys love the babies. We wondered how it was going to change our lives with our three big boys, but they love their baby brothers and sisters. They help us take care of them," Courtney said. And Eric agreed, adding, "From the very beginning, we really focused on trying to incorporate them in everything. We didn't want them to be separate with the babies and the other children doing separate things. Especially now that the babies are getting bigger and stronger, the big boys are just constantly playing and helping."

The mother-of-nine did admit in an interview with Fox News that the full house can be extremely challenging at times, however, particularly during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. "It has been a challenge for sure. When school permanently closed down, and the big boys come home, and I still have six two-year-olds. I'm trying to do everything on top of school work," she said.

The holidays are particularly difficult for the Waldrops, too, as Courtney told People, "The sextuplets were born Dec. 11. Saylor, Wales, and Bridge also celebrate birthdays during this time of year." Still, the couple's unwavering faith keeps them going. As Eric noted, "Our faith and trust in God is what gets us through every day," even when it came to turning their family of five into an almost instantaneous family of 11.