Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh Tribune Review
By Luis Fabregas
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, December 25, 2006

It might be a boisterous holiday at the home of the Perry sextuplets, but at least the three boys and three girls are potty-trained.

"Getting them potty-trained was worse than when they all had chicken pox," said mom Erin Perry, 37, noting that two of the kids still have occasional accidents.

Erin and husband Joe turned into celebrities of sort in 2003 when they became the parents of Pittsburgh's first sextuplets, born at Magee-Womens Hospital, Oakland.

Joshua, Ian, Simon, Madison, Zoe and Olivia, now 3 1/2, attend an all-day preschool. Big brother Parker, 6, is a first-grader.

Their time at school gives Erin Perry a chance to catch up on three daily loads of laundry and prepare meals that typically include lots of cereal, seafood, beef, chicken, vegetables and pasta.

"There's not a lot that they haven't had," she said. "Our grocery bill is the second highest bill, next to the mortgage."

The six-pack and their brother are adjusting well in a five-bedroom house in Ohio Township, where they moved from Ross two years ago. They spent the summer going to the pool and the zoo, and riding their bikes.

"They're healthy, and they're good kids," Erin Perry said. "If they were difficult children, I wouldn't be able to do it. I'm so grateful they're good kids. That is a testament to all the people that have helped me over the years."

When it comes to holiday gifts -- well, that's another story.

The boys are into sports and the girls play with Barbies, but, as luck would have it, each wanted something different.

"It's tough," Erin Perry said. "It's going to get harder when they get older.

Comment: Counting blessings must be a big business in this home. I wonder if the school keeps the kids together or if they split them up into different classes.