Sequim Gazette staff

Michelle Early, of Sequim, finds being a Leap Year baby enjoyable and in years like 2012, she celebrates twice as much. She has two teenage girls and works at Helen Haller Elementary School as a paraeducator for special services.

Sequim Gazette: How old are you in real years and in Leap Years?

Michelle Earley: 44 and 11.

SG: When do you celebrate your birthday?

Michelle: I celebrate on the 28th in off years and on Leap Year I have two birthdays with a kids’ birthday party on the 29th for whatever age I am. When I was 20 and in college, we celebrated my fifth birthday. My family threw a toddler toy party.

SG: Know any other Leap Year babies?

Michelle: No, but one of my co-workers was born on Feb. 28th.

SG: How old do you feel?

Michelle: I feel 27. That was fun times … The older I get the better it becomes because I can tell people I’m actually younger (in Leap Years).

Debbie Welborn Austin, a college student and card dealer at 7 Cedars Casino, was born four minutes too early to be a “normal kid.” She tells friends and relatives they can celebrate her birthday any time during the last week of February and the first week of March, or every day during that week.

SG: How old are you in real years and in Leap Years?

Debbie Welborn Austin: 56 and 14.

SG: When do you celebrate your birthday?

Debbie: Normally, I celebrate from the Friday night before till the Sunday night after the 28th or 1st.

SG: Know any other Leap Year babies?

Debbie: I dated one in high school. I was born at 11:56 p.m. I was four minutes from being a normal kid. He was born at 11:55 a.m.

SG: How old do you feel?

Debbie: Closer to 14.