The world's first septuplets have celebrated their 16 birthday after doctors feared they would never make it past their first few days.
Kenny, Kelsey, Natalie, Brandon, Alexis, Nathan and Joel McCaughey turned 16 on Tuesday, November 19 at their home in Carlisle, Iowa, US.
Mum Bobbi and husband Kenny famously declined selective reduction after learning they were pregnant with seven children following fertility treatment, saying it was 'in God's hands'.
Bobbi told the Des Moines Register: "I will always remember the day we found out there were so many. 'It wasn't like 'yoohoo!' - there were so many doubts. To a lot of people this might sound trite, but God determined the outcome."
After the babies were born nine weeks prematurely in Des Moines in 1997, joining their big sister, Mikayla Marie, they made worldwide headlines and they even received a call from President Bill Clinton to congratulate them.
During the early months, the septuplets drank 42 bottles of milk a day and went through 52 nappies.
The family still lives in the same house that was donated after the births and continue to use the same van.
And while the four boys and three girls are looking forward to being 16 and driving, their father, who still works at a metal coating plant, warned that they can only have cars once they get jobs.
Kenny said: "The biggest challenge is making sure they keep up with certain things but not keep up with certain things, trendy things. Three of them have cellphones and a couple have iPads."
The children are now considering their futures. Brandon plans on going into military service after school, while Kenny hopes to work in construction, Nathan in science, Joel in computers, Kelsey in cosmetology and Alexis and Natalie in teaching.