12/12/12 Date Isn't What Makes Birthday Special for Mom and Daughter

For people celebrating a birthday today, the triple number repeat of Wednesday's date—12/12/12—sprinkles a tiny bit more special on an already special day thanks to the rarity of this numerological occurrence. The next time numbers repeat for the month day and year it will be the 22nd century.

That's why some people are doing a something extra to commemorate the day, whether it's throwing a bigger party or having a toast at 12:12 a.m.

Krista Offermann, whose daughter, Margot, turns 4 today, hadn't noticed this unique happening until a couple days ago. But Margot and the Offermann really don't need any digit mumbo jumbo to make Dec. 12 a blessed day each year.

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For starters, Margot shares the birthday with her great-grandmother, Offerman's grandmother, who died two years ago. Then there was the birth itself, a less than ideal experience for mom and daughter.

During the delivery, the umbilical cord wrapped itself three times around Margot's throat and wasn't breathing on her own, Offermann said.

"She didn't cry for at least two minutes, which seemed like an eternity," Offermann said, adding that up until that point, her pregnancy and labor had been normal.

While the medical staff treated Margot, Offerman's own health took a turn for the worse. The placenta became stuck, and Offerman was bleeding for 15 to 20 minutes before doctors were able to remove it, she said. After that, she was given a blood transfusion that used two bags of blood.

In the end—and after five days in the hospital—mom and daughter were fine and have been healthy ever since, Offerman said.

"We really celebrate this day," Offermann said. "We really thank God that we're both here."

The activities around Margot's birthday celebration began while Offerman, who was born and raised in Tinley Park but moved to Morris five years ago, was still pregnant with her daughter. Since then, she, her husband, Jake, and their three girls—Margot; Daisy, 6; and Addelynn, 1—visit the Bass Pro Shop in Bollingbrook to see Santa Claus and then go to Red Robin for dinner.

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While Offermann was a little late on realizing the 12/12/12, she isn't letting it pass Margot by without some acknowledgement.

"I think that's awesome [the 12/12/12 date], and we got her a few extra gifts," she said.

But each year on Margot's birthday for the, the biggest gift that Offermann encourages people give doesn't even go to her daughter. For the past four years, Offermann uses her Facebook status to ask people to donate blood.

"If people wouldn't have taken the time to [donate blood], I wouldn't be here," she said. "It's just really important to get the word."

Other Tinley Residents With 12/12/12 Birthdays

• Holli Piet: She will celebrate her 39th birthday, spending time with her grandmother during the day and going out to dinner with her husband and son that evening. "I am sure they have special surprises for me afterward," she said. And yes, Piet says she knows that if you add up the digits in her age, they equal 12, too.
• Alyssa Frankenfield: She turns 11. Her mother, Katie, says Alyssa had a sleepover party this past weekend, and family members will come over for dinner and cake to help her celebrate tonight.

Go to the Tinley Park Patch Facebook page to learn about other people who are celebrating. And share you 12/12/12 birthday wishes for friends and family in the comments section.

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