These Parents Were in for a Surprise When They Got Three Sets of Twins Born On The Same Day

By: Lisa Lee | Published: Nov 18, 2023

Twins are a special addition to any family, but imagine having three sets of twins, all born on the same day! It’s a rare occurrence that a couple in Union Grove, Wisconsin experienced.

Not only that, but the mother had previously been told she couldn’t have children. It’s a true miracle and a once-in-a-generation blessing. Join us as we take a closer look at this incredible story.

Building a Family

Carrie had always dreamed of having a large family and when she married Craig Kosinski, she immediately began planning for one. She had grown up in a family with nine people and wanted to have even more love and companionship. She believed that a big family would provide her with the support and love she needed and never wanted to feel lonely or sad.

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Source: Life with Twins & more/YouTube

The couple, who lived on a ranch in Union Grove, Wisconsin, were financially and emotionally ready to welcome children into their home and had a clear plan for their family.

The Kosinskis’ Plan

The Kosinskis had always hoped to have a blended family with both biological and adopted children. Carrie, who was herself adopted, shared with ABC News that adoption had always been part of their plan, but they wanted to try to have their own children first.

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Source: LET ME KNOW/YouTube

However, in the early 2010s, the couple faced some challenges when Carrie experienced health complications as they were trying for a biological baby. Despite these setbacks, the Kosinskis remained committed to building the family of their dreams.

Struggling to Conceive

Carrie had been struggling to get pregnant for years and had recently started experiencing abdominal pain. She went to the doctor and learned that she had a condition called endometriosis.

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Source: Life with Twins & more/YouTube

This can cause impaired fecundity, meaning that around 12% of women in the U.S. cannot carry a pregnancy to term. Both Carrie and Craig were devastated when they were told by the doctors that they wouldn’t be able to have kids on their own.

Dealing with Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a condition that can cause discomfort and fertility issues for those affected. It occurs when extra endometrial tissue grows outside of the uterus, leading to inflammation and other unpleasant symptoms. While not everyone with endometriosis is unable to have children, it does increase the risk of infertility.

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Source: By BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images

For some, like Carrie, this can be a heartbreaking reality. After struggling with endometriosis-related infertility, Carrie and Craig had to come to terms with the possibility of not having biological children.

An Unexpected Opportunity

Craig and Carrie’s family plan was suddenly up in the air when an old high school friend reached out to them with some exciting news. She was expecting twins and asked if the couple would be interested in adopting them.

Source: Life with Twins & more/YouTube

It wasn’t the first time their friend had twins – she previously gave birth to a set on February 28th, 2013. However, with these new twins on the way and limited financial resources to care for them, she reached out to Craig and Carrie for assistance. The twins were due to arrive in February of 2014.

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God’s Plan

Carrie and Craig were thrilled when their friend approached them with the opportunity to adopt her unborn babies. Carrie shared with TODAY that the friend felt she couldn’t provide the necessary care and love for the children.

Source: Life with Twins & more/YouTube

Despite their own struggles with infertility, Carrie and Craig were more than willing to adopt and raise the babies as their own. They believed that this was what God had intended for them and they were excited to embark on this journey.

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Déjà Vu

On February 28, 2014, the Kosinski family grew by two with the arrival of twins Adalynn and Kenna. The birth was a bit of a déjà vu for their mother, as she also had a set of twins and an emergency C-section on the same date one year prior.

Source: Life with Twins & more/YouTube

Carrie and Craig were thrilled to finally have their own family to care for and began the process of legally adopting the girls to make them a permanent part of their family.

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The Struggle for Biological Children

The Kosinskis were determined to have biological children of their own, so Carrie underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments. This process involves retrieving eggs, fertilizing them in a laboratory, and then implanting the resulting embryo in the mother’s uterus.

Source: BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Despite the challenges, they remained hopeful that the treatments would eventually be successful. IVF can be a difficult process, as not all embryos stick and it can take a long time to achieve success. However, the Kosinskis refused to give up on their dream.

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Another Surprise

In 2015, the Kosinskis were still in the process of legally adopting their twins when the biological mother contacted them about adopting her other two children as well. The mother was unable to care for the older twins and asked the Kosinskis to take them in.

Source: Life with Twins & more/YouTube

Carrie shared in an interview that they had already started the adoption process for Adalynn and Kenna when the request for the older twins came through. This presented Carrie and Craig with a difficult decision to make.

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JJ and CeCe

The Kosinski family just got a little bit bigger with the addition of JJ and CeCe. This means that the family now has two sets of twins who were both born on the same day. Talk about a rare occurrence!

Source: LET ME KNOW/YouTube

Believe it or not, the odds of having siblings with the same birthday are just 0.27%. That’s only one in 365 days! And while twins themselves are somewhat more common, with around 3% of births in the US being twins, having two sets of them born on the same day is truly a special event.

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Four Times the Fun

The Kosinskis now had a house full of activity with their family of four biological twins, all born on the same day. Despite the challenges of raising so many children, Carrie was able to manage them all with ease by sticking to a set schedule.

Source: LET ME KNOW/YouTube

She explained that she found it easy to add CeCe and JJ to the routine she had already established for Kenna and Adalynn. With a large family and a busy schedule, there was never a dull moment in their house.

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Growing Family

In September of 2015, Craig and Carrie received some unexpected news: Carrie was expecting! The couple was still adjusting to their new family life but they were thrilled to learn that Carrie could finally have the biological children she had always wanted, thanks to successful in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Source: Life with Twins & more/YouTube

Then, just a month later, the couple received even more exciting news – Carrie was having twins! They were surprised but overjoyed at the prospect of raising six kids, three sets of which were twins.

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High-risk Pregnancy

Carrie was expecting her twins to arrive on June 12, 2016. However, at 19 weeks into her pregnancy, her water broke. She was rushed to the hospital and had to stay in bed for six weeks.

Source: Pexels/Pixabay

This can be a risky situation for both the mother and the baby. The mother may develop an infection, and babies born before they are fully developed (before 24 weeks) may not be able to survive outside the womb. Their organs, such as the heart, lungs, and brain, may not be fully formed.

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Three Sets of Twins

Clarissa and Karraline were born as premature twins on February 28, 2016, via c-section. Despite being underweight and having scar tissue on their lungs, they were both healthy and strong.

Source: Inside Edition/YouTube

The Kosinskis now have three sets of twins, all born on the same day and in the same way. It’s a miracle that’s practically unheard of – the Guinness World Record for siblings born on the same day is just five, and the odds of that happening are a staggering 17.7 billion to one.

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In Critical Condition

CeCe, JJ, Adalynn, and Kenna were excited to meet their new sisters, but they had to wait a little longer. Clarissa and Karraline were born at just 25 weeks and were very tiny, weighing only one pound and six ounces each. They were in the NICU for several weeks and had to undergo multiple surgeries and fight off viral infections.

Source: Life with Twins & more/YouTube

Their lungs were damaged and they needed oxygen to help them breathe. Despite all the challenges, Clarissa and Karraline were stable and their parents were hopeful that they would be able to bring them home soon.

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The Power of Prayer

Carrie and Craig faced a tough challenge when Karraline and Clarissa ended up in the NICU, but they didn’t let that get them down. Carrie drove from her farm in Union Grove to the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Wauwatosa every day to visit the girls, while Craig visited three times a week since he worked in Kenosha.

Source: Life with Twins & more/YouTube

The couple credits prayer for helping them get through this difficult time. They attended the Living Light Christian Church in Kenosha and received support from fellow church members.

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Finally Home

After a difficult couple of months, Clarissa and Karraline were able to come home after gaining weight and developing their organs. When they arrived, they were met by the other two sets of twins, who were all under the age of three at the time.

Source: Life with Twins & more/YouTube

Carrie and Craig described the experience of caring for premature babies as overwhelming, with constant worry about their health. However, they are grateful to have their “miracle babies” at home now.

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Adoption Dilemma

The Kosinski siblings were a united bunch, but they had one small issue: Carrie and Craig had yet to legally adopt CeCe, JJ, Adalynn, and Kenna. Carrie explained that the family had already started the adoption process for the younger twins, but then the birth mom got in touch about the older twins too.

Source: Carrie Kosinski/Pinterest

They decided to put the adoption process on hold until the older twins arrived since it’s cheaper to do it all at once rather than several separate adoptions. However, things got a little complicated when the biological twins also arrived.

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The Cost of Adoption

Adoption is often misunderstood as being a relatively inexpensive process, but the reality is that it can be quite costly. The cost of adopting a child can vary based on the state and the method of adoption, but it is not uncommon for couples to pay over $30,000 for a single child.

Source: JOSEPH EID/AFP via Getty Images

This is because adoption involves a variety of legal, social, and medical professionals, including attorneys, government administrators, adoption specialists, counselors, social workers, and physicians. For Carrie and Craig, the cost of adopting four children added up quickly. Without being able to afford the fees, they ran the risk of not being able to keep their beloved children.

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The Bills Were Piling Up

The Kolinskis faced a tough financial challenge. Not only did they have to pay the adoption fees, but they also had to pay for in vitro fertilization (IVF). Without medication, IVF can cost between $12,000 and $17,000, but with medication, the price goes up to around $25,000. All in all, the Kolinskis had already invested tens of thousands of dollars before the adoption process could even be completed.

Source: Inside Edition/YouTube

To make matters even more difficult, Carrie was a stay-at-home mom and the family relied on Craig’s income as an accountant. With four other children to adopt, the Kolinskis needed some help to make it all happen.

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The Quad Squad

The Kosinskis turned to GoFundMe to help them adopt two sets of twins, which they referred to as their “quad squad.” They set a goal of $13,000 for the campaign, called “The Quad Squad Adoption Fund.”

Source: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images

In their campaign, Carrie explained that adopting all four siblings together would save them a lot of money and that they couldn’t imagine life without their little quad squad. They hoped that enough people would donate to make their dream a reality.

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The Campaign Goes Viral

The Kosinskis were able to get hundreds of donations for their GoFundMe thanks to some media attention they received. With articles published on ABC News, TODAY, and The Journal Times, Carrie was able to bring awareness to her story and inspire others to get involved.

Source: Inside Edition/YouTube

She even created a Facebook group to help spread the word about her GoFundMe page, which ended up receiving nearly 800 shares and 160 followers within a year. The Kosinskis’ story touched the hearts of many, leading to all of these generous donations.

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A Nonprofit Offers to Help

The family’s story caught the attention of bestselling author Karen Kingsbury and her nonprofit foundation, One Chance. The foundation provides grants to families to help with adoption costs.

Source: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Dove Awards

Kingsbury and her team were moved by the family’s story, particularly the fact that all four adopted children are biological siblings, which is uncommon. They felt a strong desire to help the siblings grow up together. Kingsbury told ABC News that she and her team were in tears in their office.

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GoFundMe Campaign Exceeds Expectations

The Kosinskis were thrilled when they received an extra donation from the One Chance Foundation. But they were even more amazed by the outpouring of support from strangers on their GoFundMe page.

Source: @cutesystuff21/Twitter

In total, 124 people donated, some giving as little as $5 and others giving over $500. The family ended up raising a total of $14,400, which was more than enough to cover the adoption fees for CeCe, JJ, Adalynn, and Kenna. Carried expressed her gratitude to TODAY, calling the unexpected support “such a huge blessing.”

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The Worst Was Over

Thanks to the generosity of others, Carrie and Craig were able to gradually pay off their adoption fees and bring their four children into their family. On January 24th, 2019, they shared the happy news that they had finalized the adoption process on the 18th.

Source: Life with Twins & more/YouTube

Carrie expressed her gratitude to all those who had donated, and the family was able to close their GoFundMe page and move forward as a united unit. However, this is not the end of their journey.

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Hectic but Happy Farm Life

Carrie and Craig have a lot on their plate, with three pairs of twins to take care of. While some may assume that twins have similar personalities, Carrie insists that each of her six children are unique individuals.

Source: HuffPost Parents/Pinterest

She says that they each have their own distinct personalities, which makes life very fun but also very busy. Despite the hectic nature of their lives, Carrie and her husband remained optimistic. They love the energy and diversity that their six toddlers bring to their Wisconsin farm.

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An Interesting Offer

In 2017, PeopleTV approached the Kosinskis to be featured in their documentary series Family Portrait. The show explores diverse families across the United States and is produced by SoulPancake. It’s also possible that the family may get their own reality series as a result of this partnership.

Source: Life with Twins & more/YouTube

While the possibility of having their own reality series is exciting, the Kolinskis thought it would be best to take their time to carefully consider all of the potential outcomes and implications before making a decision.

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Opportunities Come Knocking

The Kosinski family’s story caught the attention of multiple production companies who offered them deals for their own show. However, they declined all of these offers and decided to give a single documentary episode a try.

Source: Inside Edition/YouTube

According to Carrie, the family believes this could be financially beneficial in the long run and any money made from the episode will be saved for the children’s future. If the episode is successful, the family may consider creating a show in the future.

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The Kosinskis’ Concerns

The Kosinski family was hesitant about appearing on reality television because they wanted to make sure their family and faith are accurately represented. Carrie stated that if the producers don’t portray their family in a way that aligns with their values, they would cancel the show.

Source: Life with Twins & more/YouTube

They were also aware that reality shows can be edited in a way that generates artificial drama, and they didn’t want to be taken advantage of in that way. Despite these concerns, they’re still considering the opportunity.

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The Kosinski Family Vlog

If you can’t wait for the Kosinski family’s TV show to premiere, you can check out their YouTube channel, Life with Twins & more! The channel documents life on the family’s 40-acre farm with their children. In addition to caring for their kids, Carrie and Craig also manage a variety of animals.

Source: Life with Twins & more/YouTube

On the channel, Carrie also reveals that their youngest son was born on February 27th, just six hours short of being born on the 28th. Follow the family on their adventures and see what it’s like to raise a big brood on a beautiful farm!

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On the Right Track

Clarissa and Karraline, the youngest twins, were born premature and therefore had developmental delays. Carrie, however, has said that they are doing well. Carrie also claimed that when the twins were a year old, they were already scooting around the house, eating everything in sight, and babbling.

Source: Life with Twins & more/YouTube

It’s not uncommon for children who were born prematurely to experience developmental delays, but with time and proper care, they can catch up and thrive. It sounds like Clarissa and Karraline are on the right track, and Carrie is confident in their progress.

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Growing and Learning Together

As the youngest twins recovered in the NICU, their older siblings were thriving and excelling at their Montessori preschool. CeCe, JJ, Adalynn, and Kenna were making impressive progress in their studies, mastering their numbers and letters, and even demonstrating a strong understanding of geography.

Source: Life with Twins & more/YouTube

In particular, they had become little experts on the five Great Lakes, impressing everyone with their knowledge. Carrie shared that she loves all of her children equally and that their family wouldn’t have it any other way.

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Never a Dull Moment

The Kosinski family is always on the go, with six children and a ranch to manage. Craig says there is never a dull moment in their home, and Carrie believes that they were meant to have all of their children. She sees it as God’s way of blessing them and adding excitement to their lives by having all of the children born on the same day.

Source: Life with Twins & more/YouTube

Despite the chaos, the Kosinskis are grateful for the blessings they have received and embrace the challenges and joys that come with raising a large family and running a ranch. In their eyes, it’s all worth it.

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