By arriving earlier than expected, two baby boys born today (Feb. 29) at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Crystal City share the distinction of being leap year babies.
One mother said she will celebrate her child's birth on Feb. 28 in non-leap years, while the other intends to use March 1 for her baby's birthday parties in years without a Feb. 29.
The first of the births was Easton Michael Byington, born at 8:55 a.m. to Shelley Gibson, 27, and Todd Byington, 30, both of Ste. Genevieve. The baby, who weighed 5 pounds, 13 ounces and was 18 inches long, is the couple's first and had a due date of March 6.
"They started to induce, but he was breech, so I had a Cesarean," Gibson said. "I guess we'll celebrate his birthday on March 1 every year, other than years with a Feb. 29."
Mother and baby are in fine health, mom said.
The second Feb. 29 arrival, David Donald Winfrey, came at 11:55 a.m. He is the son of Sarah Taylor, 32, and Terry Winfrey, 28, both of Hillsboro. The baby was 5 pounds, 8 ounces and 18 inches long.
Taylor said her due date was March 27.
"We were really surprised," she said of her early arrival. "The labor went really quick. Terry had to leave to get the baby's room ready."
She said she plans to celebrate her child's birthday on Feb. 28 in non-leap years.
"We're doing really good," she said. "He's really healthy, they said, for being so early."
--Story and photos by Kevin Carbery
