California twins born minutes apart but in different years

A woman in California has given birth to twins who arrived just minutes apart but in different years.

Maribel Valencia (22) gave birth to Jaelyn Valenica at 11.59pm on New Year's Eve. Two minutes later, Jaelyn's twin brother, Luis Valencia Jr, arrived on New Year's Day.

Jaelyn was the last baby born in San Diego County in 2015 and her brother the first baby born in the county in 2016.

“We were actually watching the clock,” the children’s father, Luis Valencia, told NBC-affiliate KNSD. “We wanted to see if we were one of the first ones.”

“Maribel really wanted to have the babies on the same birthday, because you know later on in the years, they’re going to have a little confrontation and be like, ‘my birthday came first,’ so it means two birthday parties, back to back,” he added.

Valencia’s wife works as a cashier at the San Diego International Airport, and he’s a diesel mechanic for the Navy, KNSD reported. The couple’s new additions will join their older sister, 3-year-old Isabella.

The births occurred at the San Diego Kaiser Permanente Zion Medical Center, according to ABC News.

Hospital spokeswoman Jennifer Dailard told ABC News that Jaelyn weighed 4 pounds, 15 ounces and her brother Luis weighed 5 pounds, 9 ounces.

Both infants, who had not been expected to arrive until later this month, and their mother were reported to be doing well.

"It's very unusual and it's very special," nurse Lynnette Coetzee told KNSD, "and I haven't seen it in all my 34 years of nursing."

Agencies