Meeting an 1896 Leapy - "Gus" in California, USA, born 1916
While delivering newspapers on my route in Jamestown N.Y., back in 1929, I by chance met one of my customers who was born on February 29, 1896. She told me that she was eight years old before she celebrated her first birthday. (Raenell's note: She didn't have a birthday in 1900 because 1900 was not a Leap Year, that's why she had to wait until 1904, which was 8 years after she was born! Now that's a long time to wait!)
 

You Don't Get A Birthday! - Raenell Dawn 1960 # 39
When my second grade teacher was telling us about Leap Year she asked if any of us knew anyone born on that day. I rose my little hand and said "I was born on that day." She said - "Oh you poor child." Can you believe it?!? That's when the teasing started, in that sing-song that kids do "You don't get a birthday, you don't get a birthday". So my mission to find others born on my birthday turned into one of spreading Leap Year Day Awareness to get the words "Leap Day" on every calendar every February 29th so people will remember it's there and not freak out over it! AND for the world to recognize Leap Day and do something good on that day. 
 

Twins! But!

But one is NOT a Leap Day Baby and one IS!
Helene was born February 29, 1960 at 11:56 P.M.
Elaine was born 6 minutes later on March 1, 1960 at 12:02 A.M.
 

Born on the same day, but different dates.
When I was growing up, My Mom always wanted me to celebrate the non Leap Year birthdays on March 1st, since that was the day after the 28th. I always insisted on February 28th because I was born on the last day of February. Well, whom would have guessed it, my daughter was born on March 1st, not in a Leap Year. So now I celebrate on March 1st with her. We have a standing riddle for folks when we get into birthday conversations. We were born on the same day, but different dates. When are our birthdays? We tell them the dates, and explain we were both born the day after February 28th.
Dee Bonuccell 1956
 

Leap Year Proposal
As usual I was looking forward to my special day 10 (40), (as we all do). My girlfriend was making it extra special by organizing a party with all my closest friends. What I didn't know was she was making it more special than I could imagine. All my friends knew but, for once in my life I was left speechless when she presented me with my specially made cake with the words "Will You Marry Me" across the top. I said yes and will never forget the day I reached double figures.
 

Mom's Always Win
I am a Leap Year baby, born 1948. My father was born March 1. Needless to say, as a child, the family birthdays were always celebrated together. On the leap year, I got my own cake and my own day. I always wanted to celebrate on Feb 28 if there was no 29. Mom always insisted that she was still PG on the 28 - so March 1st was the day. At age 68, my mother became ill and passed away on Feb 28. Therefore, bitter sweet, mom won the argument. March 1st unless it is a leap year. I love this story. It makes me smile, mom's always win.
 

Cops and Carnivals
I am a Leap Year boy and I have had more than one officer of the law try and arrest me because they thought I had the best fake I.D. they had ever seen. Since your license expires on your birthday, and most of the time they just roll it to the next day March 1st, they tell me how I messed up there on my I.D. ... I have had to have a supervising officer come out or have them call and verify what I am saying is real... and when they ask my age I always give them my true age, 7 3/4, and they threaten to arrest me for lying to an officer. One of the best benefits is the carnivals, were they guess your age, weight, or height within 3 high or low... always win those... when I tell them my age, and then show my license, most never get mad cause most have never met or been tricked that way before. Wife has all
kinds of stuffed toys.

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Check Approval
A very long time ago when they used to have to dial a company at the store to approve your check, I was told my check could not be accepted because when they typed in my birth date the computer at the other end refused to take 2/29 as a birth date.  Thank goodness for our technologically advanced society and PIN numbers!
 

Security Risk
We were on a Cruise in the Baltic Sea when September 11, 2001 happened. All flights had been cancelled to get back to the states. When it was time for us to return home, of course, the airports were a mess. Security was at high alert and the lines were incredibly long. To make matters worse, Gary shows up with a February 29th birth date and for some unknown reason, the computers in Europe would not recognize this date. He was considered a security risk. They could not get a boarding pass printed for him so they had to manually write one up. It was very stressful and we were afraid we were going to be stranded even longer. After a couple hours it all worked out and he was able to board the plane. Such is the life of a leaper! 
 

Dear Leap Year Person
In about 1977 the state of Oregon changed their issuance of drivers’ licenses. They went from a two year renewal without a picture to a four year renewal with a picture, and that expired on your birthday.  My current license expired in 1978, but since it wasn’t a Leap Year, they couldn’t make my new four year license renewable on my birthday.  

I got an official letter from the state of Oregon: “Dear Leap Year Person…”  They explained that due to their new policy, I would need to renew my license in the old style, and at the old price, for two more years, then when my birthday rolled around in 1980, I would be able to get one of the new licenses which would expire on my next birthday, just like everyone else.  So from 1978 to 1980 the only drivers in the state of Oregon without state issued photo ID were Leap Day birthday people.

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I’m sorry I didn’t keep the letter.  It was cleverly written in “legalese” with enough tongue-in-cheek to make it fun.  Clearly someone at the capitol enjoyed drafting that letter.
Dan Morgan #5040 02/29/60
 

Learners Permit to drive a car
When I turned 16 we lived in a small country town and it was possible for me to sit for my Learner's Permit to drive a car. I arrived at the Police Station to sit my test (very nervous) and the Police Officer proceeded to fill out the necessary forms, asking me my name, address, d.o.b etc.  When I told him my date of birth, he stopped and thought for a moment then said, "I'm sorry but you are too young, you'll have to come back in the year 2016".  Being used to all the practical jokes every 4 years played by my mother I looked him in the eyes and said to him "my mother has rung you hasn't she?". He couldn't keep a straight face and confessed. I passed my test too!!
 

Can you guess the answer to the riddle? Hmmm
Evelyn Gilmar of British Columbia, Canada, born 1936
Some years ago I was a bus driver on a charter trip when a couple of my passengers gave me a riddle. They had been married for 40 years but had only had 10 anniversaries - why? They were surprised when I gave the right answer, that they were married on February 29, 1936. I knew the answer because I was celebrating my 10th birthday that year.
 

Coming of Age - Gloria in California, USA, born 1968
My dad has always promised that he'll buy me a car on my 16th birthday...even if he has to leave it in his will! :)
 

Child's Rate for Haircut - Vaughn Enevoldsen of Ontario, Canada, born 1952
On my 10th birthday my barber charged me the child's rate for cutting my hair.
 

Finally, I get a key to the house! - Elsie in British Columbia, Canada born 1916
Finally hit 21 in the year 2000. Now legal to drive, drink and stay out all night. As per English tradition, presented the key to the house.
 

Beat the draft! Arthur of Florida, USA born 1924
I could have beat the draft in 1942 because I had only 4 birthdays, and the draft said that you had to register on your 18th birthday. But I know how the Government works, they would be knocking at my door in 1996 saying "we want you now!" So I enlisted.
 

Hopping? - Emily Hopper of Florida, USA born 1988
I'm a Hopper born on Leap Day. My dad was a Hopper born on Easter!
 

Mike Doversberger of Indiana, USA born 1984
Keep in mind, you are not 4 "years" old, you have just only had 4 birthdays. 
 

Rhonda E. Rice of Virginia, USA born 1960
This is great, I've met only 2 Leap Day babies before but now I have the chance to meet many more. LEAPERS UNITE!!!
(Raenell's note: Leap On!)
 

Craig LaFollette of Oregon, USA born 1960 
Not only was I born on February 29th in 1960, but I have a baby brother born on March 1, 1962 so he stole my birthday the other three years!
 

Julee Cloutier of Mississippi, USA born 1984
I like my birthday. I think it's really interesting. It just took me awhile to actually understand it all.
(Raenell's note: You are NOT alone!)
 

Egon Overgaard of Iowa, USA born 1944
A few years ago I had been working with a fellow who every once in a while would say he had a Leap Year birthday. I was a Leaper so I assumed that he had seen my personal file and was giving me a hard time about it. We went back and forth about it off and on for quite a while. Then one day we were sitting in a restaurant about 300 miles from home and he started in again, this time saying his friend who ran the restaurant was born February 29th also. This was too much for me and I pulled out my drivers license and showed him my birthday. Then both of them showed me theirs. So there we were three Leapers having coffee together, I have never forgotten it!

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Nice to meet you too! - Jeremy Cook of Massachusetts, USA born 1976
I don't know what to say! I'm just so thrilled to see a website dedicated to me and my birth brothers and sisters. Thank you Peter and Raenell.
(You're welcome!)
 

Joanne of Florida, USA born 1944
I can't believe I stumbled on this site! What a wonderful world it is. So glad to see so many of us special babies in the world...I use to think I was the only one, until about 15 years ago, when I finally met someone else that shared my special birthday. Only know two others in my real world with our special day, so running into you makes me feel so very, very special!
 

Donna Steenport of Wisconsin, USA born 1940
This sure is a special club just for all of us "Leapies" ---- Thank you for taking the time to set this up for all of us. We all sure are special (-:
 

Guess My Age - Irene Merricks of Queensland, Australia born 1920
I've always had a birthday celebration on February 28 and March 1 (especially if people forget !!) And I am always able say to people that they are wrong when they try to guess my age. Good fun isn't it.
 

No Clue - Peyton Malcolm of Winnipeg, Canada born 2000
I get so many people saying...oh too bad your son was born on February 29th. What are they talking about? He is unique and special. Even more so because he is a millennium baby too. I get so frustrated with those people. I love my son so much! Some people just have no clue!
 

T. Corcoran of New Jersey, USA born 1960
When we party the world takes notice.
 

Kristina Kuervers of Saskatchewan, Canada born 1984
Leap Day Babies rule. I mean how many people can say that they had a 1 out of 1461 chance of being born on that day. When you get to be 40, you have the privilege of telling everyone that you are actually only 10.
 

Miriam Anderson of South Lanarkshire, Scotland, UK born 1984
From what I've read so far in the site, it appears I'm a Februarian. I wouldn't be any other way! I'm only 4 and a quarter but I've already heard every joke in the book - will it always be like this?? :)
(Raenell's note: Yes it will, Miriam! I'm glad you're smiling about it!)
 

Leap Day Story - Irena Miko-Udir 1968 #1592 of Slovenia
When I was a child my parents did not know how to explain to me that my birthday came only every four years. This changed when I turned 8 I told every one that it is my second birthday - I will always be young (I had just read Astrid Lindgren's "Pippi Longstockings" and it seemed to me that it is the best thing to being young forever)!

Today (LY2000) I am 8 (again), and yesterday my daughter turned 8. When I was pregnant with her my doctor told me she'd be born March 1st, the day after my birthday, so I started thinking about having my baby on my birthday. My mother prepared a little party for my birthday on the 28th, because, she said "Tomorrow you will not have a time to celebrate, you will go to the hospital, so we have to celebrate now!" She told me that around 17.00, at 21.35 my little daughter Blazka was born. At that moment I was a little sad that she could not wait for a few hours, but today I think that is better this way, because she is special anyway.

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Bill’s Bar Mitzva - Bill Callis 1928 # 4
In 1980 I was operating two businesses at the same time in a local strip (shopping) center—one was a Radio Shack franchise, and the other was an American Handicraft franchise. As part of my leasing agreement for the craft store, I leased back office space to the shopping center manager for her convenience. As you might expect, I became quite friendly with the person who was filling that position. Since she had a private office, I would sometimes take my lunch break and sit in her office where I could get away from the business world for a few minutes.

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One day, near my birthday I was eating my lunch while sitting at her desk and I noted an entry on her desk calendar on the 29th of February that said "pick up cake". I thought to myself, "Isn’t that nice of the shopping center folks to want to recognize my birthday". On the 29th I paid particular attention to my dress and grooming so that I would be ready for my "surprise" birthday party at the shopping center. I assumed that all the managers of other businesses in the center would come by some time in the afternoon and "surprise" me. Well, you can imagine my disappointment when nothing happened. The day came and went without a word about my birthday. I had gotten all spiffied up for naught.

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That evening, my wife had planned a small dinner party with some close personal acquaintances, so I left work early to be home and ready for that event. I was really looking forward to a nice evening with good friends.

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Unknown to me, there was a real surprise party planned. We have a large two-story house, with a mother-in-law apartment in the downstairs. You can get to it from the outside and while we were eating, friends and family were gathering in the downstairs apartment, and just as we were getting ready to cut the cake (which was what the note on the calendar was about) and have some champagne, they all came streaming up the stairs yelling "Surprise". It was great. Some of the people who were in attendance didn’t realize that this was my 13th birthday—one of them was a Jewish man who jokingly called it my Bar Mitzvah, and that stuck for the evening. I have to say this was the most enjoyable birthday party of all time.

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Save the Best for Last - Marika Holbrook - 1972 # 719
This is the best website ever. I was born in Flint, Michigan and I am the 2nd child, the last child, the special child. My sister is born the 1st of February and I am the last. But, they say the best is always saved for the last. I celebrate my birthday the 28th and the 1st. I have always felt so special to have this extra day as a birthday. I met my first Leap Year Buddy in the 7th grade. We were all talking about when each others birthday was and the girl sitting next to me Tomika Johnson said my birth date. I know you could only imagine the excitement after I had to make sure she was telling the truth.

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Claim to Fame - Gus Gustafson 1916 # 267
My wife celebrated her 80th birthday last November. Since then I have been pointing her out to others saying:  "Do yo see that little gray haired old lady over there? She has a particular liking for young men. We both cherish each other even though she has had 60 more birthdays than I have had. We were married before my 6th birthday & have been married for almost 59 years."

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One of my claims to fame is that I weighed over 200 lbs on my 5th birthday. I was in college playing football.

Another claim to fame is that I had preached over 5000 sermons before my 16th birthday shortly thereafter I retired as a United Methodist minister.

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Two Cakes! - Joel Tillman 1960 # 210
In 1966 I was going to celebrate my 6th (non Leap Year) birthday. My sisters (both older) took me to the calendar which was hung on the inside of a broom closet in our utility room at home. They pointed out that there wasn't a 29 in February and that I didn't have a birthday. Well! I was horrified needless to say, so I ran screaming to my mother. She and I chatted awhile and much to my sisters' dismay, I got cakes on February 28 AND March 1!!! Presents on both days too!! I now only celebrate on the 28th of February just to "keep it in February". My sisters and I still laugh about this silly little story.

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Sweet Sixteen Birthday Party - Fred A. Lenczynski 1928 # 392
Our family reunion in 1992 turned out as a surprise to me because my children turned it into a "Sweet Sixteen Birthday Party" because it was being held on February 29th that year. My 64th birthday and my 16th Leap Birthday.

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With 125 family members you can imagine what kind of presents I got and the razing I got. Such as 'sweet sixteen and never been kissed', and how come you are younger than your children. My kids call me their 'teenage father'.

Believe me I will never forget what a great birthday they gave me that year.