BEAVERCREEK — The biggest question for Brianna McGuire was whether to celebrate the birth of her leap year child on Feb. 28 or March 1.
“Maybe it’s the 28th,” she told News Center 7′s Malik Patterson. “But you know, he wouldn’t actually turn that age until March 1. So I don’t know.”
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Giving birth on Feb. 29 is a rare event -- there’s an approximate 1 in 1,461 chance of having a baby on Leap Day, according to lamaze.org -- but McGuire said she knew this day was coming for Ryder James McGuire, who was born at Soin Medical Center at 5:04 a.m.
“I was excited. I think it’s a cool and unique birthday. It does suck that comes every four years.”
McGuire said she wouldn’t be upset if Ryder James had been born on another day, “but it’s just interesting that he did come right on his due date.”
The football fan in her is hoping he shares a similar passion for the gridiron.
Thursday, Feb. 29, was a big birthday in the area as Kettering Health reported 10 births across its network.
Premier Health reported two at Miami Valley Hospital and one at Atrium Medical Center in Middletown.
Leap years were established to correct the fact that Earth’s orbit does not exactly fit into the 365-day calendar. The orbit actually takes about six hours longer than that, according to scientists. So, having a leap year every four years keeps the calendar on track.
Ryder James, now to be also known as a leapling, shares a birthday with celebrities in rapper/actor Ja Rule and the late singer/entertainer Dinah Shore, as well as Pope Paul III, head of the Catholic Church from Oct. 13, 1534 to his death in November 1549, according to timeanddate.com
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