Although I haven’t had any children (that I know of), I’m fascinated by the experiences of families as they grow and expand.

Take, for example, the story below dealing with three kids, each one born on an interesting date:

>>GRAND RAPIDS — For Chad and Barbie Soper, it’s all in the numbers.

A triple-dose of rare birth dates for their three children, who were born on 8/8/2008, 9/9/2009 and 10/10/2010.

The Rockford couple’s good fortune, capped with Sunday’s birth of their daughter, Cearra Nicole, has led to a crush of national and local media attention for the young family.

They plan to appear Saturday morning on NBC’s Today Show, already were featured in a USA Today article and the news show Inside Edition has expressed interest in their story.

“It’s going crazy,” Barbie Soper said Thursday from her home. “I had no idea. I didn’t know if you do one little local TV thing, it can go national.”

Soper often is asked whether she planned or somehow manipulated the birth dates. The answer is no, sort of.

Her first child, Chloe Corrin, arrived exactly on the couple’s due date. But the second child, Cameron Dane, was born with induced labor, a week-and-a-half before her Sept. 20 due date.

Cearra is the latest addition to the Soper family, born 10/10/10.

Her doctor, Andrew Van Slooten, wanted the child to come early because of hemorrhaging that happened when Chloe was born. The idea was to deliver the baby at slightly smaller than term to prevent complications.

And as the birth of Cearra neared this month, the doctor made the same decision because of issues with vericose veins and blood clots. Barbie Soper was induced Oct. 9, ahead of her Nov. 4 due date.

“At some point, probably 20 weeks into the pregnancy, we decided it was better for her to deliver early,” Van Slooten said.

“There is this window we had. We definitely had the option to shoot for that (Oct. 10) day and did,” he said. “But it wasn’t like delivering her three weeks early just to hit that date.”

In 17 years of practice, delivering hundreds of babies, Van Slooten cannot recall any birth-related coincidences that rival that of the Sopers.

“I’ve had nothing at all like this,” he said.

Van Slooten delivered all three of the Soper children, all at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital.

Barbie Soper, 36, admits she hoped the joyous moment would happen Oct. 10 and not a day earlier, but there were no guarantees. She’s excited about her children’s unique birth dates.

“It’s fun to have the numbers. I didn’t ever expect it,” she said. “And they all get to share in it.”

Barbie Soper is no stranger to hospitals — she’s a nurse who often works in operating rooms, helping other staff.

Chad Soper, 38, works for AT&T.

The couple, high school sweethearts at Rockford High School, married 10 years ago but waited to have a family.

For his part, Chad Soper said he’s simply happy to have three healthy children.

“I’m having a blast. I’m really enjoying them. It’s kind of the missing piece to our lives,” he said.

So, what’s ahead for the fortuitous couple? Perhaps trying to stretch their luck for another family addition on Nov. 11, 2011?

Not a chance, both say.

“Definitely no,” Barbie Soper said. “With the health problems, no. We wanted three and I’m glad we have that.”<<

What could be more appropriate than featuring Paul Anka singing, “Having My Baby?”

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