The Erickson family of Oakland eagerly anticipates Feb. 29 every four years with joy and gratitude due to its special significance in their lives. Their twin boys were born 11 minutes apart, with one arriving in the last minutes of Feb. 28, 2016, and the other in the first minutes of Leap Day.
“Mornings are chaotic as you can imagine with three boys,” said Summer Erickson, the mother of the twins, on the birthday of the older twin, Miles. It was just like any other day in their household, with the hustle of getting ready for school and daily activities.
The twins, along with their older brother Bruce, enjoy playing basketball in the morning around the kitchen while their parents try to keep them on schedule. They have so much energy that it’s common for them to spend time in the backyard, jumping on the trampoline.
“We get dressed, play with our dog, and have breakfast,” said Miles, born at 11:58 p.m. on Feb. 28.
Their new puppy, Bagel, joined their family recently. Walter, the slightly younger twin born at 12:09 a.m. on Feb. 29, had requested a puppy as he turns eight this year and still feels young at heart.
“I’m only two because my birthday is on a leap year,” Walter said. “Dogs are my favorite animals, and I wanted a puppy because they’re cute and fun to play with.”
The Erickson family, amidst their fun traditions, reflect on the challenging beginning the boys had when they were born prematurely. They spent 69 days in the NICU at Sutter Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley.
Father Ryan Erickson expressed their plans to throw a big party, inviting all those who supported them during their NICU journey, as a way of expressing their gratitude every four years.
As their tradition continues, they request donations to the NICU instead of gifts for the boys as they celebrate their birthdays. The boys also have a special tradition of choosing where they want to have dinner and dessert on their respective special days when their birthdays fall on different dates.
“They’re good at sharing, but they also enjoy having their own celebration on leap year,” Summer Erickson shared.
