Yandle dynasty

When the Weekly heard about the Yandle sisters from Taranaki who, within six months of each other all gave birth, we just had to meet them and their wee cherubs! And sure enough, out marched four prams all in a row with four doting mothers – Courtnay Neill (29) with 15-month-old Lachlan, Ashlee Yandle (27) with 14-month-old Koah, Sophie Yandle (23) with 20-month-old Harper and Hannah Taylor (23) with 15-month-old Cooper.

But little did we know, Sophie found out days before our shoot that she was pregnant with her second child! Tait was born in October, a brother to Harper and a much-loved cousin to the Yandle brood.

Hannah tells, “The first year of motherhood has been good. We’ve all had a few changes – most of us have moved houses or changed farms. Courtnay has moved two hours away to the

Waikato, but we’re all coming together for Christmas.”

Ashlee, who makes the trip back from Melbourne several times a year to be with her family, says despite being siblings, the four all have different ideas of mothering – which works very well.

“As mums, we are all pretty different too,” she reveals. “We have the same sort of values, but we all do things differently and we each respect that.”

Sophie agrees and as the first mother out of the siblings, she says she feels very lucky at this point to have such a close relationship with her sisters.

“The girls were over the moon when I told them and then we realised how crazy it was going to be with two under two! But I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Sophie laughs. “You should see the kids together – they’re all like brothers and sisters. I just say to the girls, you do what’s right for you because it’s not all textbook for everybody!

“I’m sure there are so many sisters out there who would love to have someone to share things with and talk about their kids. We are very lucky to have gone through it together.”