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Leap Year Babies

February 29 is a day that rolls around only once every four years. A child has a one in 1,500 chance of being born on this day. At Geisinger Medical Center ther...
leap year baby

February 29 is a day that rolls around only once every four years. A child has a one in 1,500 chance of being born on this day.

At Geisinger Medical Center there are not one, but two leap year babies.

Two babies were born Wednesday morning at Geisinger Medical Center near Danville. A boy and a girl. Their parents tell Newswatch 16 they weren't thrilled with the idea of a Leap Year baby at first, but now, they are really excited.

Jamie and Danielle Shuman of Bloomsburg said their daughter, Zoey Alexis, wanted to be a leap year baby. The couple arrived at Geisinger Medical Center near Danville on Monday and then they waited.

"I ended up staying from Monday at 11 a.m. until not having her until 12:29 a.m. this morning," said Danielle Shuman.

Just a few hours later and just a few rooms down the hall, Blake David Falzarano also entered the world as a leap day baby. He was born less than 25 minutes after his parents, Angie and Paul, arrived at the hospital from their home in Schuylkill Haven.

"I was already 10 cm dilated by time I got there. It was quick, quick, quick an emergency c-section and he was out," said Angie Falzarano.

Since February 29 only comes around once every four years, parents need to decide when their children will celebrate their birthdays.  Zoey's parents said she will celebrate on February 28, and Blake's mom said he will celebrate on March 1 or whenever he chooses.

"It's unique.  You can have them on Christmas or Easter, but leap year only happens every four years. It's pretty cool," Falzarano added.

"Then when she's 16 and wants to date, the baby will have only had four birthdays. I'll tell her dates to come back in another 40 years," Shuman added.

At least one more leap day baby was born at Geisinger Medical Center and two more women are in labor. So a total of five babies could born this leap day.

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