Two lucky newborns inspire hospital workers to buy lottery tickets
FERGUS FALLS, Minn. - Meet Hailey Jo Hauer and Xander Jace Riniker, both born at 8:08 a.m. on 8/8/08, weighing 8 pounds, 8 ounces, in neighboring states.
Xander, born at St. Lukes Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is the eighth grandchild for his mothers parents. And hes not the only one in his family with an unusual birthday: His 2-year-old brother, Kael, was born on 4/5/06.
Lindsey Hauer thought staff at Lake Region Hospital in Minnesota were joking when they told her the time of her daughters birth. And then she got a call from the birthing suite noting Haileys weight.
Nurse Jenny Harstad joked that she tried to shrink the baby to 18 inches from her actual 19.5 inches.
Several hospital staff members in Minnesota pledged to buy lottery tickets. And Chad Riniker, Xanders father, said that eight hadnt been his lucky number before, but that now he was thinking about buying a lottery ticket.
I just might, he said. If nothing else, with four children I should probably play the lottery.