Payson Family Welcomes Third Leap Day Baby

The Estes family, all together in their Payson home (left-right): Xavier, Louise holding baby Jade, David with both Remington and Seeley, and “Xander.”

Louise Estes with baby Jade (left) and proud grandma, Yvonne Gronberg (right).

Leap Day came this year with not only an additional day in February. For a Payson family, it brought the addition of its newest member, a baby girl, Jade Luane, born at 7:16 AM on February 29 to Louise and David Estes.

Baby Jade's arrival brought also a remarkable status. She was the third Leap Day baby for the family, a rarity in recent recorded history for any family worldwide.

According to proud grandma, Yvonne Gronberg, who, along with grandpa, William, lives next door to the family, she was told that the chances of a mother giving birth in three consecutive leap years is one in a billion. Possibly the only reported birth sequence is shared with a Norwegian family, she said.

Louise, a Payson native, and David, originally from Kenisaw, Georgia, met while they were students at Brigham Young University. Both having served LDS missions in Japan, they each were drawn to joining the campus Japanese language club. Before long, they were drawn to each other.

The couple were married in 2003. The arrival of their first baby—and Leap Day baby, Xavier Ian, was born on February 29, 2004. Their second child, a boy they named Alexander (“Xander”) William, was born two years later, July 10, 2006, avoiding any possibility of a February 29 date altogether. But as the following leap year arrived, their third son, Remington Emanuel would share Xavier's birthday. A fourth son, Seeley Marvin, too, was born on the 29^th day of a month, however, his birth date arrived in December of 2010.

Weighing eight pounds and fifteen ounces, baby Jade became the Estes family's third Leap Day baby, arriving a day that occurs but once every four years. According to mom, Louise, her birth date was a planned effort made by the couple. Her pregnancy was extended five days over the due date to ensure she would share a unique birth with two of her older siblings.

The day leading up to the delivery was spent in a flurry of birthday parties for Xavier and Remington. It's a celebration that, next year, will include a third celebrator: 2012 Leap Day baby, Jade. The only thing missing will be a precise date.

Dad, David, with three of the five Estes children (left-right): 2008 Leap Day baby, Remington; "Xander"; and  the couple's first Leap Day baby, Xavier, born on February 29, 2004.