Baby boy born same day as his father, grandfather

JUNEAU Jennifer and Matt Wolcott's newborn son, Morgan, will always have a reason to celebrate his birthday.

Morgan was born on March 8 the same birthday as his father and paternal grandfather.

"When you have a birthday present like this, you don't have to buy presents anymore," Matt Wolcott said while holding Morgan on his lap Thursday.

The chance of having a third generation born on the same day already is mathematically slim, but was more so for the Wolcotts because they had not planned on the birth.

"It was an act of God or nature, whichever you choose," Matt Wolcott said.

The chance of having a third family member born on the same day is one in 133,225, according to University of Alaska Southeast mathematicians.

Matt's father, Kelly, recently was in Juneau to visit with his first grandson. The Wolcotts have a daughter, Grace, 23 months.

"We thought it was kind of neat ourselves," Kelly said from his home in Arlee, Mont. "We knew it was going to be close, but we were surprised, to be honest with you."

The Wolcotts' pediatrician, Dr. Amy Dressel, said she's seen children born on their parents' or grandparents' birthday, but never three consecutive generations.

"They are terrific parents and wonderful people," Dressel said.

Kelly was born in 1948 in Billings, Mont., and Matt was born in 1975 in Lewistown, Mont.

When Jennifer became pregnant, doctors told her she was due to deliver on March 13, so the Wolcotts didn't think too much about it.

But when Jennifer began having contractions around 5 a.m. March 8, the excited expectant father said he had a feeling the baby would be born that day.

At 9:02 a.m., Matt and midwives Johanna Koranda and Debbie Gillespie delivered Mor-gan Matthew Wolcott. Born naturally at the family's home on Sleepy Court in the Mendenhall Valley, he weighed 10 pounds and was 21 inches long.

The identity of the baby's sex was sealed in an envelope because the Wolcotts wanted to be surprised, they said.

The Wolcotts, who have lived in Juneau for 3 1/2 years, met as high school sweethearts in Mon-tana. They celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary Feb. 19.

Jennifer plans to return to her job as a laboratory medical technologist at Bartlett Regional Hospital, and Matt will stay home and take care of the children.

Matt said he's never enjoyed birthdays much, but now there will be a special reason to celebrate.