Ohio Couple Who Were Born On The Same Day Have Twins On Their Birthday

A couple from Ohio who share the same birthday received an extraordinary gift on their unique day this year: a pair of newborn twins that arrived as a once-in-a-blue-moon surprise.

Both 31-year-old Scierra Blair and 32-year-old José Ervin, who happen to celebrate their birthdays on August 18th, recently became the proud parents of a son and a daughter. 

Cleveland Clinic

This remarkable event took place just five minutes after midnight a little over a week ago at Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest Hospital—still on the auspicious date of August 18th.

“It’s a blessing,” Ervin told PEOPLE. “Best birthday present ever.”

Cleveland Clinic

It's really unusual for a baby to be born on the same day as both of their parents. In fact, it happens only about 1 time out of every 133,000 births. This information comes from Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children, who saw a similar situation last year.

When you also consider how often twins are born, which is around 31 times out of every 1,000 births, you'll realize that the chances of having babies on the same day as your own birthday are even smaller. In fact, it's more likely to be hit by lightning!

Cleveland Clinic

This special event almost didn't occur. José Ervin had to talk his fiancée, Scierra Blair, into waiting a bit longer and being a little more uncomfortable so that their babies could be born on the chosen day.

At first, the babies were expected to be born around August 28th. However, during a checkup on August 17th, the doctors discovered that one of the babies was positioned with their feet downward in the womb. Because of this, the doctors recommended delivering the babies through a caesarean procedure on that same day to prevent any problems.

This decision was made at approximately 4:30 p.m. José Ervin realized that if they could wait for just a little while longer, the entire family would have the same birthday.

Considering that Scierra Blair and the babies were healthy, and the doctors said it would be alright to wait if they wanted, José Ervin attempted to convince his tired and hungry fiancée to hold on a bit longer.

At first, the babies were expected to be born around August 28th. However, during a checkup on August 17th, the doctors discovered that one of the babies was positioned with their feet downward in the womb. Because of this, the doctors recommended delivering the babies through a caesarean procedure on that same day to prevent any problems.

This decision was made at approximately 4:30 p.m. José Ervin realized that if they could wait for just a little while longer, the entire family would have the same birthday.

Considering that Scierra Blair and the babies were healthy, and the doctors said it would be alright to wait if they wanted, José Ervin attempted to convince his tired and hungry fiancée to hold on a bit longer.

“Since she was in good health and wasn’t stressed, and the kids were in good health and weren’t stressed, I thought, ‘Why not wait?'” he said.

“I said our kids being born on our birthday, that’s unique. All of us celebrating together, that’s beautiful.”

“I was hangry and just wanted it to be over,” Blair recounted. 

“He said, ‘It’s only a few hours and it will go by real fast.’ And I just looked at him and said, ‘Easy for you to say. I’m starving.'”

Ervin eventually won Blair over, but not without some compromise.
“I agreed, but I told them they owed me a week of potato salad,” Blair said

Shortly after the calendar turned to Aug. 18, doctors delivered José Ervin III. Ar’ria Lannette Ervin was born a minute later.

“They were my birthday present and I’m good with that,” Ervin told PEOPLE. “I’m so stoked. I kiss them like 30,000 times a day.”