WINNIPEG -- North Kildonan pre-schooler Audrey Tataryn is celebrating her first birthday on Feb. 29, even though she was born four years ago.
“She is really excited about her birthday because it’s the first time on the actual date,” said her mother Teresa.
Audrey is a leap year baby, also known as a leapling. The chances of being born Feb. 29, are around one in 1,461. Audrey’s birthday only comes around once every four years, so her family is planning a big bash to celebrate.
“For three years in a row, we talked about how she doesn’t really have a birthday, but we still celebrate. So this year, we built it up,” said Teresa.
Audrey has her Cinderella-themed dress ready for her party, but her mom is still ironing out some details, like whether to light one or four candles.
“That is a point of contention,” she laughed. “I bought a bunch of first-baby decorations, which my husband doesn’t really think is appropriate. So there will be first-baby decorations and four candles.”
Audrey shares her birthday Vern Overby, who was born in 1940 and turns both 80-years-young and 20-years-old on Saturday.
The Manitoba man said growing up it was tough to have a birthday that only came every four years, but as he got older he came to accept it.
“When I was going to elementary school, It was very hard for me because we used to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ in our class and they never sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to me, because there was no 29th,” he said.
“It bothered me until I got older and then I realized I was just as good as anybody else.”
One perk of this situation for Overby has been an extended birthday celebration. He said as he got older, he decided to mark his birthday on both Feb. 28 and March 1.
But when his actual birthday does roll around every four years, it’s a special time he gets to share with his family.
“When we do get that birthday, it’s a nice celebration,” he said.
CTV News Winnipeg learned of Overby’s unique birthday after his daughter sent in a Let’s Celebrate greeting to CTV Morning Live. She said one of the running jokes she likes to make is that she’s older than her father.
- With files from CTV’s Nicole Dube, Rahim Ladhani, and Kayla Rosen