American Indian Twins Born in Separate Years are Home and Doing Well

Levi Rickert, editor-in-chief in Native Currents. Discussion »

RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA -

“It is finally sinking what a big deal this is,”

commented Jolene Anthony, Lakota Sioux, to the Native News Network on Thursday evening about having twins each born in two separate years.

A Look of Love on Mother's Face

Actually the thought she would ever deliver the babies in two different years never crossed her mind.

She was not due to deliver the babies until January 20; though, her doctor talked about inducing labor on January 6th or 9th in the best interest of the twins.

"My husband called me from work to inquire how I was feeling. I told him I was in quite a bit of pain. So, we went to see the doctor. He told me I would have the babies that day," said Anthony. Her last day of work before going on leave from her position as an assistant manager of a Walmart was Christmas Eve.

“When Kylee was born first, the nurses and staff were all clapping. I thought, 'okay,' I can go on pushing so the next one would be born,”

she continued.

“Then our son was born.”

Kylee Kim was the last baby born at 11:59 pm in 2011 at Rapid City Regional Hospital and the first twin born. John Joseph gets the honor of being the first baby born in 2012 at the hospital at 12:03 am, but was born last of the twins.

Both babies were born healthy and are now home.

Twins and Proud Father John Anthony

"Everything checked out great. Now they are home and we are feeding them every three hours," said the proud father, John Anthony, a 26 year old salesman.

"The babies are famous in this town. The journalists kept coming to the hospital. It is nice to be home."

"Actually this has been a rollercoaster ride for us. I was overwhelmed," commented Jolene.

"I said to myself. 'Gosh, now we have four kids,'" said the 26 year old mother. "We have to get up every three hours to feed the twins and get up to get the other two off to school."

Jolene has two children, a 10 year old son and a 8 year old daughter, who live with the couple from a previous relationship. John has an 8 year old daughter from a previous relationship.

John is an attentive husband and father, who helps her out greatly, according to Jolene.

posted January 6, 2011 6:30 am est