'My kids joke they're older than me' - Leap year mum will celebrate her 10th and 40th birthday all in one
29.02.2024 - 09:45
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A mum-of-two born on February 29 who gets teased by her children for being 'younger than them' is celebrating her 10th and 40th birthday all in one this year. Ellie Charboneau, who lives near Pontefract in West Yorkshire, was born on February 29 1984, making her a rare "leaplings" who officially celebrates her birthday once every four years.
In between, Ellie has chosen February 28 as her honorary birthday, but sometimes her friends have told her: "Well I'm not saying 'Happy Birthday' because it's not your birthday." Even Ellie's children Harmony, 13, and Hunter, 15 will "crack jokes" and say they are older than her, and other people have made humorous remarks over the years.
"When I would go to a bar this is when I was younger they would look at my ID and go, 'Wait a minute, you're not old enough to have this drink'," Ellie told PA Real Life. "Or other people would say, 'You're not old enough to drive, you're not old enough to do this'."
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Ellie remembers her first leap year birthday, as she had a large number four cake, but her most memorable was her seventh and 28th in 2012. Her close friends arranged a 'surprise little kids' party' for her, complete with balloons, jelly and ice cream, and party bags. It was followed up by a trip to Disneyland with her husband Dan, a 39-year-old former US marine.
While having a birthday on February 29 is "unusual", Ellie said she would not change it or swap it to have regular yearly celebrations. She said: "I would not change it at all. It's an unusual birthday that not many people come across but I would not change it. It's the best day to be born."
To all her fellow "leaplings" this year, Ellie added: "I hope