SoCal hospitals were buzzing with excitement as they rang in Leap Day celebrations with the arrival of two newborns. Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park and Anaheim medical centers played host to this special occasion, marking births that happen only once every four years. Samantha Placencia and Nathaniel Vasquez, a young couple from Los Angeles, welcomed their daughter Daniella into the world at an early 1:17 a.m., making her one of the "leapling" babies born on the unique date of February 29, as reported by FOXLA.

An hour later, the Haigh family from Orange County experienced similar joy with the birth of their daughter, who weighed the same as Daniella and was as long, according to KTLA. Heather and Steven Haigh's newborn girl, whose name was not made public, entered the scene at a matching 6 pounds, 13 ounces, and measured 19.5 inches, though born at a hospital an hour's drive away.

Leaplings such as Daniella and the Haighs' baby have the unique predicament of only being able to celebrate their actual birthdays quadrennially. In non-leap years, celebrations shift to either February 28 or March 1. However, for official documents and identification purposes, February 29 remains their legal date of birth. "Those born on this day don't always get to celebrate their actual birthday, since the date occurs only once every four years," as per FOXLA.

The statistical rarity of Leap Day babies adds to the allure of these births. With less than 0.1% of the global population able to claim the 29th of February as their day of birth, parents of leaplings join an exclusive club. Kaiser Permanente Senior Media Relations Specialist Terry Kanakri shared the sentiment, saying in a news release, reported by KTLA, that babies born on Leap Day are indeed a rare occurrence.