A couple of girls, sisters, that I knew from high school each had a baby within an hour of each other last Wednesday night. Congratulations Amanda and Julie—but knowing you both, I think you totally planned this.

More details from a Medicine Hat News Article, after the jump:

Babies bonded from birth
By JAMES NEELEY
Mar 30, 2007, 01:08

One Medicine Hat family is taking the term ‘sticking together’ a little far. But they are no doubt very happy with the outcome.

Sisters, Amanda Baines and Julie Parker surprised their families, and hospital staff by giving birth, by C-section, just more than an hour apart on Wednesday night.

“Amanda and Julie always do things together,” said one proud father Matt Baines.

His brother-in-law and fellow elated father, Allen Parker agreed.

“Anyone who knows these two girls won’t be surprised, because they do everything the same all the time,” explained Allen.

“This is just one way for them to prove it to the world.”

At 8:07 p.m., Amanda gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, weighing six-pounds, 10 ounces. Her and Matt named the newest edition to the family Emily Reay.

Not to be outdone, Julie followed her sister into the delivery room. And at 9:20 p.m., Julie introduced a strapping young lad, weighing in at nine-pounds, 11 ounces, as the now newest addition to the family.

They have many years to argue over who’s older.

In the shared maternity room at the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital, maybe the most excited person in the room, grandma, was glowing. Two new grandchildren, what more can you ask for.

“It’s double the pleasure,” said Lorie George, the very happy grandmother.

“I got up for work that morning and Amanda said I’m in labour,” recalled Amanda’s husband Matt. He added that he was kind of thinking it could all go down that day.

“It’s always exciting when you’re having a baby, but when you find out you’re going to have a niece on the same day, it’s extra exciting,” added Allen.

Matt summed it all up with one statement. “There’s no better feeling.”

The day was made even more special with the two families connected together in one room in the maternity ward, added Allen.

“It’s all of our family in here together and it’s been twice as fun.”

There’s a lot of benefits to the cousins being born on the same day. They will have birthdays together, experience things around the same time, and grow up—from day one—with a best friend.

Talk about bonding at birth.

Two of the couples’ combined five other children also share a common bond, not quite as close in timing, but they were born three months and three weeks apart respectively.

“It’s almost like brother and sister. The kids are together everyday,” said Julie.

Not only are the two families connected by blood and birthdays, their yards are nearly linked.

“This is total fluke. They bought a lot, we bought a lot and it turns out there across the alley from each other,” explained Matt.

Needless to say there won’t be too many fences between the two properties.

The family, neighbourhood, and even hospital connection doesn’t end there. On the same day, Wednesday, the Julie and Amanda’s brother Brad George was at the hospital to have his tonsils removed. And you guessed it. He lives around the corner—a stones throw—from the his two sisters.