IRELAND'S FIRST leap year baby of 2020 was eager to claim his title, born three weeks early, seven minutes after midnight on February 29.
Baby Jenson McKeown was born in Dublin's National Maternity Hospital on Saturday, becoming the first Irish child born on leap day since 2016.
The National Maternity Hospital, based in Holles Street in Dublin, released a photograph of the young couple, Nicole Elizabeth and Philip McKeown, with their new arrival (who already seems to be smiling after just minutes of life)with a message congratulating them all.
"Huge congratulations to Nicole Elizabeth & Philip McKeown on the birth of baby Jenson who was born at 00.07am, our first #LeapYear2020 baby!", the hospital wrote alongside the two adorable photographs.
Huge congratulations to Nicole Elizabeth & Philip McKeown on the birth of baby Jenson who was born at 00.07am, our first #LeapYear2020 baby! Both Mum & baby doing really well 🤗 pic.twitter.com/6q1IwjlYWB
— The National Maternity Hospital (@_TheNMH) February 29, 2020
They went on to say that both baby Jenson and mother Nicole Elizabeth are doing well, despite the obvious exhaustion which comes with having a newborn.
Nicole told BreakingNews.ie that they hadn't expected Jenson to be born on Leap Day, and that her son arrived three weeks early.
"We feel such happiness and gratefulness to have Jenson here three weeks early," she told tyhe outlet, adding that she and Philip will always cherish the memory of welcoming their son in such special circumstances.
Comments under the hospital's post congratulated the family, with one person joking that they're going to be saving a lot of money on birthdays-- Jenson's next birthday will be on February 29, 2024.
Despite being four years old on that date, Jenson will technically only be celebrating his first birthday.
