When I was pregnant with my son, his father’s family kept mentioning how twins run in the family. My sister-in-law gave birth to twins the year before, so I took the threat seriously. My answer was always the same: If I have twins, don’t bother bringing me home from the hospital.

I know there are plenty of families of twins and triplets and beyond, and it’s really cool. But can you imagine eight? Of course, it might be like anything colder than 10 degrees where it’s just cold and you plow through. And, everyone knows, families aren’t asked what they can handle, they just do it. That’s why families are so wonderful and important, in whatever form they take.

All the babies born Tuesday are breathing on their own and doing well, and are only the second set of octuplets born in the U.S. I love the end about the mother starting to pump milk. I very much hope she has a chance to do anything else in the next year.