Leap Day Baby Gets Lots of Love

by Jennifer Hudspeth
February 29, 2012 10:48 PM


Once every 4 years, an extra day is added to the calendar during the month of February.  And while it’s not really considered to be a holiday, a Sioux Falls family is celebrating.  They received a very special gift Wednesday, the arrival of a Leap Day baby…which is why newborn Tait Ready is Someone You Should Know.

“My husband jinxed me having a leap day baby because he's been talking about it for quite a while saying this could possibly happen, but it's no longer a jinx, it's a blessing,” says Laura Ready, Tait’s mom.
Weighing 8 pounds and 13 ounces, Tait Donald Ready entered the world.
He's only hours old, but already there's a serious kink in his birthday plans.

“I don't know what the consensus is, if people celebrate the day before or the day after, or if they do both...(laughs). Or just celebrate every four years but that wouldn't be very fair to him,” says Ready.

There's plenty of time to get it all figured out, it'll be a while before his first birthday rolls around. Tait was actually due March 1, but he had other plans. Delivery only took an hour and a half, and Laura knew exactly what to expect because she's a nurse.

Ready says, “Yes, I work on this floor. I worked last night so I got a couple of hours of sleep before everything started this morning.”

Wednesday, more than 10 thousand babies joined the leap day club...and already, Tait is a "little leaper" who is loved very much.

Ready says, “He'll always have a story to share, or we will anyway. It's exciting, we're happy that he's here and healthy.”

A majority of parents said they will celebrate their child’s birthday on February 28 during non-leap years.  But for legal permissions, like getting a license or turning a legal drinking age, the government usually makes leap day babies wait until March 1.