It will be an interesting Father’s Day for Gilbert Merasty.
The La Ronge father’s family of seven got even larger this past February when he and his wife Savannah Ratt welcomed quadruplets into the world. The children were all born prematurely on Feb. 29, 2024 – a leap day.
Aleah, Beautiful, Cecilia and Dominick were all born around two pounds and had to remain under medical supervision, but now the kids are doing well and are out of the hospital. The three girls and their brother were delivered via C-section, with the first being born at 10:19 p.m. and the fourth arriving at 10:24 p.m.
They get to join their five older siblings in celebrating Father’s Day for the first time.
“This one’s going to be super special. Just having the kids around, it’s going to be awesome,” Merasty said. “They’re all out of the hospital, so I’m excited that we’re all going to be together (for) Father’s Day.”
Merasty said on Friday they didn’t have anything in particular planned but he might catch up on some rest.
He said his kids are growing like weeds and are starting to show their personalities.
“So far Dom, he’s a little bossman. If you listen to him right now he’s just squeaking and squawking away. Aleah too, she’s another boss baby. She has me wrapped around her finger,” he said. “Beautiful is really chill. She and Cecilia they’re really mellow kids. They just keep quiet, keep to themselves kind of. Even though they’re just a little, they don’t squawk much. The other two are boss babies.”
Merasty and Ratt’s other children are all very excited about being at home with their new siblings.
“My little guy Gil Jr., at first he didn’t have to say much about it but now that the kids are home Gil is a good big brother. When a baby cries he’s like ‘Dad, a baby’s crying pay attention to (them)’,” Merasty said. “He’s already looking out for them. That’s pretty awesome, I like that.”
Before the quadruplets were born, Merasty said he didn’t know anyone else who had been born on a leap day.
“I was laughing the other day about my kids being born on a leap year. They’re gonna be 76 before they’re legally allowed in a bar,” he said.