3/11/2008 10:55:00 AM Jayden Fuchs
is a Leap Day baby
It’s no joke!
HERALD PHOTO BY CAROL MOORMAN
Jasper Fuchs hugs his baby brother, Jayden, Thursday afternoon while parents Jason and Jen watch. Jayden was born on Leap Day, Feb. 29.
By Carol Moorman and Bryan Zollman
Melrose-The Leap Year joke's on them.
When Jen and Jason Fuchs found out the due date for their second child was in early March, the joke at Jason's place of employment was that their son or daughter would be born on Feb. 29-Leap Day.
It didn't even make any difference that the Fuchs' first child, Jasper, was born one week past mom's due date two years ago.
Well, that joke became a reality at 2:08 p.m. on Feb. 29 when 7-pound, 4.9-ounce and 19-inch-long Jayden Peyton Fuchs was born. He was the only leapling, as babies born on Leap Day are officially called, born on this day at the Melrose Hospital-CentraCare.
One in 1,461 people are born on Leap Day, a day added every four years to keep calendars aligned with the Earth's revolutions around the sun. There are about 200,000 leaplings across the country and four million worldwide.
To say Jen and Jason were surprised-and delighted-is an understatement. After all, Jayden's arrival (or leap) into this world was two weeks earlier than his March 11 due date and one week earlier than a scheduled March 6 cesarean section. Jayden was just bound and determined to come early. Jen admitted to having labor pains while at work on Feb. 28. Luckily, she had a scheduled day off on Feb. 29.
But she hadn't planned on spending it in the hospital. By 10 a.m that morning that's just where she was with labor pains increasing and Jason at her side.
"They were rushing around saying we'll do the c-section at 1:30," said a still-excited Jason, holding their sleeping son late on Thursday afternoon with Jen sitting next to him on the couch in their Melrose home, and Jasper content to play close by with trucks.
It didn't really sink in that Jayden was going to be born on Leap Day until they were in the operating room and the nurse asked what day it was.
"Feb. 29, Leap Day," said Jason.
They said family and friends they called thought it was "cool" that he was born on this day. So did Jason and Jen.
Grandparents are Jim and Shirley Fuchs of Melrose and Rich and Joan Meyer of Hankinson, N.D. Great-grandparents are Jean Fuchs of Melrose, Ray and Mildred Pohlmann of Grey Eagle, Mary Meyer of Hankinson, N.D., and Marcella Fettes of Mantador, N.D.
"I called my mom and she said, 'No, not on that day!'" said a smiling Jen.
With two children now, life has changed for this couple, but that's just fine with them. Jayden is pretty easy going and Jasper loves his new baby brother.
"Feed me and let me sleep," said Jason of their dark-haired son.
Jason is a hands-on dad, which Jen is thankful for.
"He's probably changed more diapers than me," said Jen, with Jason nodding his head yes.
They haven't really decided when they will celebrate Jayden's birthday when it's not a Leap Year. Technically, he won't have his next birthday until 2012.
"We'll save money that way," Jason kiddingly concludes.
