Valley ‘leaplings’ (finally) celebrate their birthdays

By TAYLOR BROWN
Senior Reporter
tbrown@yourmvi.com
Today, Nycole Burgess will celebrate 32 years around the sun, but some of her cards will likely say “Happy 8th Birthday.”
The chances of a baby being born on leap day is pretty slim – about one in 1,461.
Burgess, a Carroll Township resident, shares her birthday with about five million other “Leapers” or “Leaplings” as they are affectionately called.
To put that in perspective, most others who celebrate their respective birthdays share their special day with about 21 million people.
Leap day, Feb. 29, is the extra day tacked onto the calendar once every four years as a corrective measure to accommodate the time it takes the Earth to complete a single revolution around the sun.
The leap year itself and the extra day it brings with it date back to ancient Egyptian times and the Gregorian calendar, and it’s simple purpose helps keep seasons as we know them happening at the same time every year.
Without it, Christmas sometimes would actually happen in July, which could really put a damper on the Christmas spirit, and for leaplings like Burgess, it would mean their birthday is a bit more ordinary.
In off years, leaplings celebrate their birthdays on Feb. 28 or March 1, though some choose totally different days out of the year.
Burgess was the first leap day baby born in Washington County in 1992.
As a young girl, her parents simply told her that her birthday was as special as she was.
“My parents just told me that I had a special birthday that only comes every four years,” Burgess said. “They spelled my name with a ‘Y’ to make me unique, just like my birthday.”
She chooses to celebrate on Feb. 28, usually, for what could be an obvious reason.
“I wasn’t born in March,” she said. “My friends and family will tell you that I celebrate the entire month of February when it isn’t a leap year.”
Every year, regardless if Feb. 29 appears on the calendar, she will always get a card with her “leap” age.
“I really don’t have a favorite birthday memory but I will say, I love getting cards that say my leap year age,” she said. “As I get older, my birthday fascinates me more and more. It really is special and I try to embrace the rarity of it.”
Larry Traversari, a Roscoe native, turns 76 today, but prefers his leap age – 19.
Traversari said he never made a big deal out of birthdays growing up, especially since his were rarely on the calendar, but this year he is looking forward to celebrating with his twin grandsons, 9-year-olds Myles and Maxx, who were too young to celebrate the last time his special day popped up on the calendar.
Despite not being big on celebrations, he has celebrated on Feb. 28 for most of his life, and as his late parents always reminded him growing up, he now knows what they meant.
“They would tell me, ‘Larry, you will always be young,” he said. “This leap for me starts Feb. 29 and runs through March 3.”
Lauren Oshetsky, of Murrysville, will turn 44 today. Or, 11-years-old in leapling years.
She always celebrates on Feb. 28.
“I wasn’t born in March,” Oshetsky said. “People always told me I should celebrate on March 1, but my mom always told me I was already born by then. She would tell me I was born the last day in February and I celebrate whatever that day is.”
When Feb. 29 does appear on a calendar, her birthday feels different.
“It feels more special, like an actual birthday,” she said. “I never feel like it’s my birthday on the 28th. When I should celebrate was always a battle with people.”

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