Every New Year’s Eve is a time for celebration. People tend to head out with friends and family to commemorate the memories and experiences they plan to leave behind before going into another year.
New Year’s 2018 was no different. Once the clock struck midnight, everyone’s expectations were of hope and faith that the next 12 months would be better than the last.
While some people were ringing in 2018 with jubilee and positive vibes, one mom was lying in a hospital bed in Delano, California.
Maria Espernza Flores Rios was preparing to welcome two precious blessings into her new year.
Rios was expected to have twins on Jan. 27, but then had a c-section scheduled for Jan. 10.
Things suddenly started happening, leading up to Dec. 31 when her two little ones decided to come even earlier.
At 11:58 p.m., Rios gave birth to her son Joaquin Ontiveros, weighing 5 pounds, 9 ounces. He made it just two minutes before New Year’s day.
Twin sister Aitana de Jesus decided to come just 18 minutes later. Weighing 4 pounds, 10 ounces, she came at 12:16 a.m. on Jan. 1.
Usually, twins are born minutes to a few hours apart on the same day, but sometimes they can be born on different days.
Extreme as it sounds, some women have had twins 24 hours apart.
Yet, doctors are now calling this unusual birth a “rare” occurrence. It’s simply because both twins were not only born on different days, but also in different years.
Doctor Seyed Tamjidi said, “I would say it’s pretty rare. I’ve been doing this for 35 years and I’ve never had this before.”
Joaquin was born at the end of 2017 and Aitana at the start of 2018. In translation, Rios said, “I feel really happy because I just had my two babies.”
In addition to the twins, the mom has three other daughters. Joaquin will be the first boy of the family, but luckily, not the baby of his siblings.
Being born just before New Year’s Day 2018 may be something he holds over his baby sister’s head as they grow up because he’s obviously the older twin.
It’s amazing enough to be twins delivered on sperate days, but to be born in two different years is something they may talk about for a long time to come.
A very Happy New Year to this family and their new additions!
