Septuplets celebrate birthday with medical staff

The McCaughey septuplets, whose story of defying the medical odds stunned and charmed the world, turned 1 year old today and starred at a party for the staffers who brought them into the world.

Bobbi and Kenny McCaughey celebrated the birthday a little in advance, on Nov. 8. Each baby - Kenneth Robert, Alexis May, Natalie Sue, Kelsey Ann, Brandon James, Nathan Roy and Joel Steven - got a cupcake that matched a bigger cake.Friday afternoon, the McCaugheys brought the babies back to Iowa Methodist Medical Center for the party with the medical team that delivered them.

"The reason why we're here today is not so much for the kids, even though today is their official birthday," Kenny McCaughey said. "We're here more because it's a celebration of the staff. It's kind of a reminiscent party as to what happened here a year ago."

Born Nov. 19, 1997, the seven babies were at the time the first set of surviving septuplets. A Saudi Arabian woman has since given birth to another surviving set.

Except for colds and ear infections - "their normal baby illnesses," Bobbi McCaughey said - their health has been good, although Natalie and Alexis still eat with the help of feeding tubes. She said doctors cannot say when the tubes will come out.