Baby Journey Gemini Parks is the first leap year baby since Mercy Hospital moved to their new facility in Rogers on March 2008.
Four years from now, baby Journey will be one year old, and her mom Karolann Parks said she was thrilled at giving birth on leap day.
"I was like I can hold out until the 29th and then my doctor said ‘alright it's going to be the 29th’ and I said alright that's fine," said Karolann Parks.
Even though her birthday won't come often, she'll still celebrate it every year.
"I don't think she'll get it at first cause I'll have a birthday for her every year but when she gets older I think she'll be mad at me," said Karolann Parks.
Mercy made sure this baby got recognized. She got a basket full of presents and a special certificate.
Allison Apple, clinical director of women's and children's services at Mercy Hospital, said the certificate has a leap year poem and they call the babies “leaplings.”
"Leap year doesn't happen every year so it's something different to share. It's exciting for Mercy to have something to look forward to," said Apple.
Karolann said she's gotten plenty of questions and also has some of her own.
"Will she able to legally be an adult? So I don't know how all that's going to work out. I'm just going to have to do a little bit of research," she said.
Baby journey was seven pounds, two ounces, and was born at 8:08a.m.
But why is there an extra day every four years?
It takes 365 days and six hours for the earth to revolve around the sun. Those left over six hours are accommodated by giving February an extra day every four years.