Make wishtv.com your home page

Mom, newborn son share Leap Day birthday

ROCKFORD, IL (CNN) – As newborn Levi Rittmeyer sleeps peacefully in his bassinet, he doesn’t realize his birth is more unique than others.

He was born on Leap Day, when the chances of that happening are 1 in about 1,400.

What makes this moment even more mind-boggling is his mother, Kristy, shares the same birthday. Those chances are even smaller – 1 in 2 million.

“My husband actually this year said, ‘I want this year to be special because you actually have a birthday this year,’ but we weren’t planning on this,” Kristy Rittmeyer said.

Kristy and her husband Nathanael welcomed Levi a little after 6 a.m. at a healthy 6 pounds 8 ounces at Rockford Memorial Hospital.

Kristy turned 7 in Leap Years and knows all too well that it’s like having such a special birthday.

“It’ll probably be interesting explaining to him as he’s growing up how he has a birthday every four years,” Kristy said. “Explain how that works when he gets older, but I’ve gone through the same experience. It’s fun. It’s unique.”

Nathanael never thought his growing family would be different than most.

“I never expected to marry anybody that was born on a Leap Day,” he said, “let alone to have a kid that’s born on a Leap Day. It’s pretty unique.”

Although Levi will be in pre-K when he officially turns 1, the couple says he’ll come first on every upcoming birthday.

“In the future it’ll probably be more about him than my birthday, but it’ll be fun to celebrate both together,” Kristy said.