They crushed poopy diapers! Smashed midnight feedings! And ditched a multi-million-dollar
reality career for their kids?! Sweet Lord in Heaven! Here's the truth about
Courtney and Eric from "Sweet Home Sextuplets!" So, how did Courtney and Eric Waldrop meet? Well,
some couples start out as high school sweethearts — but these two were sweet on each other way
before that. They met while attending the same junior high and have been inseparable ever since.
"Who's your girlfriend, Eric?"
"Courtney."
"Do ya love her?"
"Yes I do."
"That is so sweet. I think you're gonna get married."
During the series premiere, Eric revealed,
"Courtney and I, we've been together since eighth grade and never been with anybody else."
And confirming that they've never had eyes for anyone other than each other, Courtney added,
"I really would call it love at first sight."
Eric proposed while the duo attended Auburn University. They got married in June 2004,
a month after they graduated. On their 17th anniversary in 2021,
Courtney took to Instagram to celebrate, writing,
"From a little boy and little girl that met 25 years ago to now […] a life unexpected!!
But a life I wouldn't trade […] and love that has gotten us through some of the hardest times to the
most wonderful blessings. I couldn't imagine life any other way right now […] than crazy,
exhausting, insane, but incredible! I couldn't do this without Eric […] he's
definitely my rock when I start to crumble, he's my strength when I have no more to give,
he's the calm to all the crazy, and he loves me through it all."
After four years of marriage, Courtney and Eric welcomed their first child, Saylor, in 2008. And a
year later, the couple decided to try for number two. Courtney got pregnant, but unfortunately,
she lost the baby. It was during this time that she was diagnosed with a blood clot disorder.
"We found out we were expecting and then we quickly miscarried."
As the couple tried to expand their family over the years,
Courtney would go on to suffer multiple miscarriages. She shared with Discovery,
"It was devastating because I can get pregnant so easily,
I just can't hold on to them. It was upsetting,
but we had experienced it before and I knew I had a medical issue that contributed to it."
It was with the help of fertility drugs that she was able to carry her twin boys,
Bridge and Wales, to full term, welcoming them to the family in 2012.
Eric and Courtney always envisioned their home with a bunch of kids running around. But even
after having three boys, they still wanted a fourth. While she was pregnant on the show,
Courtney explained why she wanted multiple children, adding,
"I always wanted a big family. I'm the only child, and I just wanted a house full of kids."
In order for this dream to become a reality,
the couple would have to rely on fertility drugs again. But this time around,
Courtney was given a low dose designed to minimize the chance of multiple births.
Still, during an ultrasound in 2017, the Waldrops found out they were expecting sextuplets.
"A one-in-a-5 million chance that would happen on the medication we were on."
As Courtney admitted to People,
"I was scared to death. I'm a smaller framed girl, and my first thoughts were on how I
was going to successfully get six kids here without something happening to them
or me. There was a lot of fear. We didn't know what to do or think."
Doctors informed the couple that there were definite risks involved in carrying all six
children to term. And they were told about a procedure called selective reduction,
as an option to increase the chances of survival of the babies. But that
would have meant choosing which embryos would have a chance at going full-term,
and which would not. And Courtney and Eric decided against it. They said via People,
"We are strong in our faith, but you never know how you're going to feel when you're
actually in those shoes. When we let it go and turned it all over to [God],
those fears — though we know the risks are still there — were lifted from us."
"We told the doctor that we were not gonna reduce and there's no turning back."
With the help of a world-class team of neonatologists, nurses, surgical assistants,
anesthesiologists, and other specialists, Courtney gave birth at 30 weeks via C-section to fraternal
sextuplets. And once their three girls and three boys were released from the hospital,
the couple shared with the outlet,
"It's an amazingly joyful feeling to have all
six babies at home with us. Our lives have been forever changed. We are blessed beyond words
and so excited to get life started with these sweet little miracles from above."
While you might assume that raising nine kids would put a huge strain on a marriage,
it seems to have been the complete opposite case for Courtney and Eric.
Detailing their bond in light of the circumstances, Courtney shared with Today,
"I know that people would just say I'm just saying this, but honestly,
I would say that our relationship is stronger now than ever. We have nine kids together,
and he's my rock, and he gets me through. We have to be there for one another."
On Mother's Day in 2017, Eric surprised Courtney with a gift from each of their
children to show how much he appreciated her. As Courtney later explained to Us Weekly,
"He got up early when we were only going off about
three hours of sleep and cut me flowers from everybody. It was really special."
"When all is said and done, end of the day, then, you know, Courtney and I have each other
and that's just true blessing."
For Courtney's birthday in 2021,
Eric took to Facebook to share his adoration for his wife, writing,
"You are the love of my life, my world, my everything. I don't know how you do what you do,
day in and day out. You are the most unselfish person I know.
Raising nine kids (six toddlers) is so hard and you tackle it like a champ
every day. I love you with all my heart and soul. Happy Birthday Courtney. I love you angel."
It takes a lot of money to raise a family — especially one consisting of 11 people. So
to provide for everyone, Eric launched his own maintenance and landscaping business,
Robinson & Waldrop Landscape Group. He runs the thriving operation with his partner and childhood
friend, Jeremy Robinson, who also went to the same college. It was at Auburn that both Eric
and Jeremy studied landscape horticulture. As part of the series premiere, Eric talked
about how he brings home the bacon, noting that he farms and cares for about 100 sheep.
"On top of owning my own business,
we live on 40 acres. Twenty acres of it is a working sheep farm."
Before the arrival of the sextuplets, Courtney worked as an elementary school teacher in their
hometown of Albertville, Alabama. And since becoming a full-time mom, she started her own
small business selling handmade jewelry, clothing, and accessories on her site, God's Divine Nine.
Courtney and Eric are solid in their faith. And as they explained it, they wouldn't be
able to raise their kids, or get through the hard times, without God. As Eric shared with Fox News,
"Our faith and trust in God is what gets us through every day."
Revealing that it's a foundational element that they also try to instill in their children,
the couple says that they could have never
made it this far without their dedication to their beliefs.
"We lean on God and our faith to get us through every day, for sure."
The duo's sheer gratitude for their blessings is what prompted them to sign on for "Sweet
Home Sextuplets" in the first place. Prior to the debut of Season 1, Eric told Today,
"We didn't go into this wanting to be — I don't even like the word — celebrities.
We want to show the world what God has done for us and how much we've
been blessed by this situation. We want to show America how good God has been to us."
Fans of the show saw Courtney and Eric carrying out daily duties like bonding with the babies,
reading to the kids, and potty training. But the couple were also seen taking their
kids on big family trips, like the time they went to Dollywood,
and then to the beach. Whatever they were up to, the family was always on the go.
"Woo! Our first family vacation."
"You might not be 'Woo' in about four hours."
Eric not only has his hands full with the little ones,
he's also busy with his three oldest sons. Courtney told a local news station,
"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."
In 2021, Courtney took to Instagram at the end of basketball season for Saylor,
Wales, and Bridge, writing,
"Basketball Season for these three boys has officially come to an end.
It's been a fun and very busy season. Eric coaches all three boys,
and as hard as that may be, he wouldn't trade it for anything."
Before Eric and Courtney's sextuplets were born, their Albertville community hosted a 5K fundraiser
slash gender reveal to raise money for the family. It was all meant to help offset the enormous costs
of bringing their six babies into the world. Courtney shared with Fox 61 at the time,
"We've been very, very, blessed with a lot of love and support.
We wouldn't be here right now without all the love, support, and prayers."
After the babies were born, the Waldrops decided that as a thank you, they would host a fun run
of their own to raise money for their beloved town. As Courtney told a local news outlet,
"It was really important to do this event because the town and community has been so gracious to us
and so supportive of us and [we] just have felt every prayer."
"We appreciate this so, so much. Thank you for your prayers, your love and support."
Close friend of the family, Katie Ball, also shared,
"This family means a lot to me. We have kids the same age. So I've been willing to do any
and everything that this family needs."
The Waldrops donated all the proceeds to the Pregnancy Crisis Center
as well as Albertville City Schools.
"Ho, ho, ho." The winter months are relatively busy for most
parents, and the same goes for Eric and Courtney. Along with Thanksgiving and Christmas, they
celebrate the birthdays of all nine of their kids. In an exclusive with People, Courtney stated,
"The holidays have always been special for Eric and I and celebrating with our three big boys
— but now that we have our six babies to share it with, it makes everything a little more special."
They also shared that Christmas isn't the only big family celebration in December.
It's also the sextuplets' birthdays. For Courtney and Eric, the holidays
appear to be a beautiful reminder of all the blessings in their lives.
The Waldrop gang starred in "Sweet Home Sextuplets" for three seasons.
But even though they had over 1 million viewers tuning into the show each week,
the couple decided it was time to step away from filming. In a YouTube video,
they explained that there would be no Season 4. Courtney revealed,
"We have filmed for three seasons."
"What's best for our family right now is to not continue with the show."
The pair says they've enjoyed the entire process and have appreciated all the encouragement from
fans. But at the same time, shooting has been grueling for the older boys. Courtney admitted,
"Filming was very hard on them. They carried a lot
of the show because they're cute, and they're funny."
"It's a lot to ask of them."
These devoted parents finally decided that it was in everyone's best interest to call it a wrap on
the series. But for fans who still want to keep up with the daily ins and outs of the Waldrop kids,
there are social media posts and vlogs a-plenty, serving up all the adorable cuteness!
"It may be the hardest time of our lives right
now, but we also know that it's very, very special."
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