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Superstitious individuals took a gander at 2010 and shrieked when they saw what was lurking in October.
The binary 10/10/10 date sparked fears of detrimental computer viruses, among other things. A year earlier, 09/09/09 brought a brighter side to the conversation, as the presence of the nines could perhaps jump start New York City’s school year.
For Chad and Barbie Soper, 10/10/10 was nothing short of a gift. The Grand Rapids Press reports that the couple celebrated the birth of their third child, Cearra Nicole, last Sunday, cementing a trio of unique birthdays in their household. Cearra joins sister Chloe Corrin (born on 08/08/08) and brother Cameron Dane (born on 09/09/09), making it a breeze for family and friends to remember when to send out those cards and presents. (See Nancy Gibbs’ essay on what’s so great about big birthdays.)
Symmetrical birthdays occur once a year during the first 12 years of any century (01/01/01 to 12/12/12). When asked by the Press whether any of the anomaly births were planned, both the parents and doctor Andrew Van Slooten said health concerns prompted premature deliveries for Cearra and Chloe. Over his 17 years of experience, Van Slooten admitted that he never witnessed anything this rare.