Bentlee Patterson joined some rarefied company Monday.
The son of Iolans Andrew and Shannon Patterson was born on Leap Day, the quadrennial day added at the end of each February.
Bentlee was born at 2:52 p.m. at Allen County Regional Hospital.
He weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces, and was 19½ inches long.
“We knew it was going to be close,” Andrew said. “We came in Saturday, but it didn’t happen until Monday.”
Bentlee joins an older sister, Blayke, 5.
Bentlee’s name comes from family — sort of.
Andrew’s father is Ben Patterson. Shannon’s mother has the middle name of Lee.
“We just combined them,” Andrew said.
The Pattersons already have fielded one question in particular.
When will Bentlee celebrate his birthday on non-Leap Years?
“We’ll probably do it on the 28th, to keep it in the same month,” Shannon replied.
“We may try to do it so he blows out his candles at midnight on the 28th,” Andrew joked.
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen,” Shannon replied.
With mother and son getting a clean bill of health, the Pattersons were scheduled to be released from the hospital today.
