Two brothers in North Carolina welcomed their children into the world at the same time on the same day.
Steve Thayer, 34, and Matthew Thayer, 31, introduced newborn cousins Cassidy Thayer and Benjamin Thayer shortly after they were born at different hospitals on March 20 at 6:53 p.m.
"We thought we'd have them really close together, but we never thought the same day, let alone the same time," Matt told People Magazine.
Matthew and his wife, Brooke, welcomed baby Cassidy at Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst, North Carolina while Steve's wife, Fawn, was delivering baby Benjamin 80 miles away at Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina.
"It was a shock. I was absolutely amazed," Brooke said. "We were thinking they'd be born a couple days apart, and we had joked about them being born on the same day, but we never imagined this happening."
Brooke had planned to be induced on March 20, and Fawn's original due date was March 23. But during a family outing on March 20, Fawn unexpectedly began having strong contractions.
"I was having contractions for a couple days, but they started getting closer together, so I thought maybe this was it," Fawn said. "I went to the hospital and found out I was already five centimeters."
Steve texted his parents, who were at the hospital with Matthew and Brooke, and the brothers continued to update each other via texts to their father until both babies were born that evening.
"My father-in-law asked the nurse what time our baby was born and she said 6:53, and then he texted Steve to ask for his baby's details -- height, weight, length and time of birth -- and when he texted back 6:53, he said, 'You will never guess what time their baby was born,'" Brooke said.
Steve and Matthew have a close relationship and hope that their children will have a close relationship as well.
"We were joking that it was a brotherly competition and it ended in a tie,'' Matthew said. "It really is special."
"We think they're going to grow up being really close," Steve said.
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