The birthday paradox, a mathematical oddity, but very real for the Oldenburg Family.

What do you do when your birthday is exactly 35 years from your favorite aunt and your awesome niece…have a photo shoot of course!

Aren’t birthdays the best?! It’s your one special day that’s all about you and no one else. Well not exactly. Have you ever heard of the birthday paradox? Without getting too technical, it’s a mathematical oddity when calculating the odds of having the same birthday as another person. There are 366 possible days that a person could have been born. No, that’s not a typo don’t forget about February 29th!

The birthday paradox says that the odds that you share a birthday with another person is only .0027%. yet it only takes 23 people to have a 50% chance that two have the same birthday. If you want to read more about the birthday paradox check out Wonderopolis. I’m no math whiz, trust me, so I won’t try to explain but think about the odds of having the same birthday as someone in your own family. My brother and our first cousin share a birthday. They were born on the exact same day in the exact same year. Another friend shares a birthday with his daughter. Talk about the greatest birthday gift your wife could give you! But think about sharing a birthday with your bestest aunt and your favorite niece being born 35 years from each of them.

Meet the Oldenburg family. Katherine, Crickett, and Josie Clare (Coon). Crickett was born on June 7th and Katherine and Josie Clare share their birthday on the 8th, each 35 years apart. They haven’t been able to celebrate their birthdays together much due to geography but they did celebrate 10 years ago on the day Josie Clare was born.

From Left to right: Katherine Oldenburg (Vicksburg, MS), Jamie Coon (Clinton, MS), and Crickett Oldenburg (Shreveport, LA). Picture taken on June 7, 2009 the day before Josie Clare was born.

In honor of Josie Clare reaching double digits this year, Crickett and her sister, Jamie, thought it would be a great idea to celebrate with a little photo shoot. Katherine, the “Antique” of the group is titled the Hall of Fame Best Aunt Ever, Crickett, or better known as “Aunt Tick” is following as the MVP Aunt in Training and Josie Clare is “Ain’t it” Great to be the Rookie!

Left to right: Crickett Oldenburg (45), Jose Clare Coon (10) and Katherine Oldenburg (80)

Crickett posted the photos on social media with a message about her special aunt and niece and the birthday bond they all share.

“Triple Blessed. My Aunt Katherine was the first one to put me in a mud puddle, give me a kissy fit, and teach me how to just be happy in the skin I’m in. This woman is everything I hope to be when I grow up. She is beauty and spunk, love and kindness, and rocks the white hair better than anyone I know! Our blood types don’t match, but our toes and fingers do. I think I got her white hair too! I can only hope to grow up to be half as cool as she is! “

Crickett also shared with me that Aunt Kat was quite the matchmaker and fixed her parents up on a blind date. I just love a good matchmaker story!! She remembers summers with her sisters at Aunt Kat’s pool and how she has idolized her since she was a child. I mean can you blame her? I want a fabulous Aunt Kat now!

” Josie Clare…I got to witness her first breath and first cry. She is my mini-me. Josie-Flair-Hair, don’t really care from day 1! I may or may not have fed her sugar before her first birthday. We’ll never tell! She is smart, fun, funny, and gonna be just as cool as her Aunt Tick and Aunt Kat.”

” I am so blessed to be right in the middle of the greatest aunt and niece a girl could ever ask for! Each 35 years apart to the day (well, almost…I am a day off). Happy, happy birthday Aunt Katherine and Josie Clarice! I am honored to get to share another year with you both! “

The Oldenburg’s spin on the “cake smash” session was just too fantasist not to share. If there is one thing we Southern’s love, it’s a good photo shoot. Photo credit to Jamie Oldenburg Coon for capturing the beauty of these three super fabulous ladies.

I imagine these photos will be treasured, by the entire family, for years to come and especially for Josie Clare as she gets older and looks back on this day that she got to hang with her two greatest aunts on her birthday.

Please take the pictures. The people you love won’t always be there and what a gift photos are for your family. They are a physical reminder of the laughs, joy and love you have for one another. Take the pictures!

Happy happy birthday Aunt Kat, Crickett, and Josie Clare!! We can’t wait to see the remake in 10 years.

Emily Hunt

Emily is the founder and owner of Magnolia Moms. She and her husband Chris live in Madison, MS with their two little girls, Lila and Ella. Emily works full time in the Financial Services industry where she is driven by her passion to help women become more financially stable. She is an avid Mississippi State fan and can be found most weekends watching the Dawgs! She loves wine and unsweetened tea and could eat chips and salsa for most meals. Most importantly she loves sharing her stories and thoughts with all the fantastic Magnolia Moms readers.

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