MIAMI (WSVN) - South Florida residents are celebrating new life milestones on Leap Day to mark the occasion.
Feb. 29 is Leap Day, an extra 24 hours that only comes once every four years.
While it may feel like a normal day for most people, some local residents are taking the opportunity to take a leap and make it into an unforgettable memory.
To celebrate the special end to February, South Florida couples got married and several babies came into the world at local hospitals.
In downtown Miami, several couples tied the knot on Thursday to have their anniversary coincide with Leap Day.
“We were thinking about what day we wanted, and the reason why we chose it was just, it’s a special day that, you know, only happens every four years,” said newlywed Frank Castillo.
Couples signed the documents with the special date of Feb. 29.
If you’re wondering why couples would pick this day and why is it special for them, Castillo said he and his husband wanted their marriage to be different than others.
“And then they asked us like why, and then a joke was, ‘Do you want to save money and celebrate it every four years?'” said Castillo.
Newlywed Danielle Simeone said she and her husband chose Leap Day because it’s an opportunity that happens once every four years.
“And I wanted to pick a special day to marry this man. That was something you could not replace, so that is why I chose this day,” she said.
Couples in love aren’t the only people taking a leap on Leap Day.
Others marked the special day with a memorable milestone in life: giving birth.
Two babies, Keyarie Williams and Isabella, were born on Thursday.
Williams, weighing nearly five and a half pounds, was born at HCA Florida University in Davie on Thursday morning, while Isabella was born just past midnight at Baptist Health Hospital in Kendall.
Isabella’s mom said it is a coincidence that she gave birth on Leap Day. Her father, Ramon Diaz, said the idea did cross their mind during his wife’s pregnancy.
“I would say, like, four or five months ago, just playing around, like, ‘Oh, what if it’s a leap year, baby? She’s not gonna be able to drink until she’s 80 or 40 or whatever,'” he said, “and I would just make these jokes like, ‘She’s not gonna be able to go to the club, so I won’t have to worry.'”
Diaz described the grandparents’ reaction when they met Isabella, their first grandchild.
“I thought that my reaction was gonna be the biggest one, and nope, the next generation, each one of them, had a bigger and better reaction every single time,” he said. “It’s pretty special, especially because family is very important to us, so to see that generation meet this generation, like, it strikes a chord.”
One newlywed couple said that they specifically selected Leap Day to get married so they can make it extra special when they celebrate their anniversary every four years.
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