For one family, August 18 will be a day full of celebration as a mother and father share the same birthday as their twin babies!
Scierra Blair and José Ervin Jr. have just welcomed an extraordinary and heartwarming coincidence into their lives.
August 18 will now forever be a day of quadruple celebrations as the couple's newborn twins, Aŕia and José III, share their parents' birthday.
In a surprising turn of events, the infants arrived earlier than anticipated. "They were supposed to be due on August 28, so it was a surprise to us," said Ervin in an exclusive interview with Good Morning America. "We thought we had more time."
The happy coincidence of birthdays extends back to the beginning of Blair and Ervin's relationship. They discovered within the first few weeks of dating that not only did they share a birthday, but they were also born just a year apart.
"We didn't believe each other initially," Ervin recalled, chuckling. The disbelief was so profound that they had to resort to presenting their ID cards to confirm the remarkable coincidence.
When doctors advised Blair that an early birth was necessary, the possibility of their offspring sharing the same birthday as them became more than just a whimsical wish. Ervin recounted how, during a scheduled doctor's appointment on August 17, Blair was instructed to proceed to the hospital due to her readiness for delivery.
However, the delivery took an unexpected turn. One of the twins was in a breech position, prompting the need for a cesarean section. Ervin humorously shared his sentiments during the experience: "I kept talking to [Scierra] and I kept telling her, 'I would love them to come on our birthday.' I'm like... why don't we just have our kids have the same birthday as us."
After receiving the green light from the medical team, the couple agreed to commence the C-section just past midnight on August 18. José III arrived at 12:35AM, swiftly followed by Aŕia at 12:36AM. The healthy twins weighed in at just over 5 pounds each.
"They're completely healthy," Blair expressed to GMA, adding that her doctors had anticipated an even earlier delivery due to the twin pregnancy. "I almost made it to my delivery date. They were expecting me not to make it as far as I did."
Jennifer Eaton, chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest Hospital, where Blair gave birth, commented on the rarity of the situation.
"It’s extremely rare for both parents and their newborn twins to all share the same birthday," Eaton conveyed in a statement to GMA. "We are excited we were able to be part of this extra special delivery and we are very happy for the family."
The newly expanded family is now eagerly looking forward to a future filled with joint birthday celebrations. Blair revealed plans to take the twins on a cruise for their first birthday, while Ervin aspires to bring his family to Disney World.
Ervin expressed: "I feel like it's going to be great. It's going to be a blessing. I can't wait for us to celebrate our birthdays together."