FOR any proud parents the date of their newborn's birth will be marked in bold, highlighted, and underlined on the calendar.
But for couple Lucy O'Mullane and James Cooch, July 17 will have three times the significance, because their first child Ralphie shares a birthday with both his mother and his father.
Sitting in their Witham home, just two days after returning from Broomfield Hospital, surrounded by shelves of birthday cards, the family of three were as surprised as anyone at the three-way coincidence.
"We didn't plan the date at all, we had talked about having a baby but just not quite at this time," said Lucy, who turned 28 on Wednesday, although she had been a little too preoccupied to enjoy the moment herself .
"I realised I was pregnant last November and his due date was given to us as July 12 so at first people were just talking about how I would coincide with Kate Middleton's [baby's] birth.
"Then I was four days overdue which was really uncomfortable in this heat."
"Those days were filled with fans, bags of ice, and hours spent on the exercise ball," added dad James, who is enjoying two weeks of paternity leave with his fiancée and new son after turning 27 on the day of the birth.
In the early hours of Wednesday, Lucy, who is originally from Hatfield Peverel, went into the first stages of labour, by-passing birthday presents for 12 hours spent on gas and air instead, before Ralphie was born at 1.45pm.
Ms O'Mullane said: "My family were just so shocked, they couldn't believe we all shared a birthday.
"It wasn't till Saturday that we actually stopped round my parents and opened up some cards and presents for me and James but our actual birthday is a blur, I wasn't really aware of the time."
July is already a busy month for the couple, who also celebrate their anniversary and Lucy's brother's birthday within the same three weeks.
"Maybe we should get married on July 17 too!" said Ms O'Mullane, who got engaged to Mr Cooch at Christmas.
She said: "We haven't organised the wedding yet though as time has just gone so quickly and we've kept putting it off, and off.
"But we're just so pleased that Ralphie is finally here, he already has his own little personality and he's just worth all the pain."
And with three birthdays falling on the same day to plan for in 2014, it may be advisable to start party planning as soon as possible.