Nikhil and Naina Chadha had to wait 1,461 days to celebrate their real first birthday, part of the trials and tribulations of being leap year babies.
The twins were born Feb. 29, 2008, with their parents wishing they were considered by their calendar age of one instead of their biological age of four.
"I wish the government would consider them one-year-old so I could collect the universal tax benefit until they're 64," said Jatinder Chadha, laughing. "But unfortunately it doesn't work that way."
At 4:35 a.m. Wednesday, Lucian Dupras joined the estimated 5 million people worldwide born on a Feb. 29.
"We've been discussing whether or not his birthday is going to be on the 28 or the first," said his parents Clayton Dupras and Laurette Jones. "Or as my brother says, maybe he should have his birthday once every four years."
Fifty-two/thirteen-year-old Gerry Macies said it would be "interesting" to be able to retire at the (leap year) age of 16.
As for the eternal debate about when to celebrate birthdays in the three years where February has 28 days, the Chadhas said they've got it figured out.
"Our plans are that we will continue to celebrate their birthdays on March 1 and hopefully we could afford a big party every four years," Jatinder said.
Their party this year will wait until Saturday, with friends and family travelling from as far away as India for the occasion.
Leap years happen so the calendar year can keep in balance with the astronomical year, or eventually the seasons would get out of sync.
Because of the speed the Earth travels around the sun, there are no leap years on years that end in 00 (unless those years are divisible by 4, like 2000).
If Lucas Dupras lives that long, he'll have a sizeable wait between his sort-of 21st birthday in 2096 and his quasi-22nd in 2104.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Karen Soloman
