Feature Story

By Eric Ervin

Contributing writer

Prichard resident Yvonne Lambert’s life is usual for a 16-year-old. She has five children, 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Lambert had her first date a lifetime ago, and was married for many years. She graduated from high school – Mobile County Training School – many years ago. She’s been driving a motor vehicle longer than some roadways have been completed. Lambert already worked her first job. When the presidential election rolls around in November, she’ll be able to cast her ballot for the next leader of the United States of America. It won’t be her first time in a voting booth.

“I’ve done a lot to be a 16-year-old,” Lambert says.

Lambert, who’s employed by the State of Alabama and works with senior citizens at a community center, was born Feb. 29, 1943. She’s a “leapling,” someone whose birthday technically only comes around every four years. “Leaplings” celebrate their birthdays on either Feb. 28, or March 1, during non-leap years. Leap years are necessary in order to keep up with the modern calendar, which marks a year as 365 days and six hours. Every four years, an extra 24 hours has racked up, so an extra day is added to the calendar during February.

The day also holds superstition. Many people believe it’s bad luck to marry on Leap Year Day. However, legend has it that it’s the one day women can break tradition and ask their boyfriends to marry them.

“When the fourth year comes around, I say ‘OK, I really have a birthday this year,’” Lambert says.

When there’s no leap year, Lambert recognizes her birthday on Feb. 28, making her 63 years old by the non leap-year calendar. Lambert is the type of person who never creates a fuss about herself. She doesn’t do anything extraordinary when there’s a Feb. 29 on the calendar.

“I’ve never been a person that likes things for myself,” she says. “I’ve always been a person who does things for others. I’m not one to gloat on myself.”

Lambert’s five children, all of whom are boys, normally do something special for her birthday. She says they have something planned this year, but she doesn’t yet know what they’ll do for her.

“I know they’re going to do something, but I don’t know what,” Lambert says. “That’s why I told them, that I’m going out of town to throw them off because I know they’ll do something.”

Dating at 6 years old

The fact that Lambert is technically younger than some of her children and grandchildren is great material for jokes from family and friends. She says every time there’s a Leap Year Day she receives joke gifts and cards. Lambert also receives advice from her elders at work and home.

“They’ll say ‘How old are you? You’re not old enough to do that yet,’” Lambert says. “(But) this gray hair will tell you differently.”

The jokes are familiar to Christopher Adams, who’s technically only 6 years old and dating a 22-year-old. Adams, who was born in 1983, normally celebrates his birthday on Feb. 28, making him 24 years old.

“The last time I had a leap year birthday my girlfriend bought me a toy and a coloring book,” Adams says.

Adams, of Mobile, says he feels unique to be a “leapling.” He says it’s a good conversation piece.

“It makes me feel special in the fact that my birthday officially only comes around every four years,” he says.

The retail manager says being born on Leap Year Day has its advantages. Adams says “leaplings” can always find some type of promotional offer at restaurants and other businesses.

“I’ve had free meals and other stuff on my leap-year birthday,” he says. “I guess they feel sorry for us because we only have a birthday every four years. Other folks can get free meals on their birthday, so they want to include us too.”

Adams says he doesn’t have anything extraordinary planned for his Feb. 29 birthday this year. He and his girlfriend plan to grab a bite to eat and catch a movie. Adams says when he was growing up his mother would throw him two parties, one on Feb. 28 and one on Feb. 29. He says usually his mother would take him and a small group of friends on an overnight trip to New Orleans.

“She’ll do something really special on Feb. 29,” Adams says. “I loved it because I really had a two-day birthday party.”

Joshua Sutton, of Mobile, was born on Feb. 29, 1979. The college student is technically 6 and three-quarters years old in leap years, making him 27 years old by the non-leap year calendar. Sutton is quick to admit he’s no fan of Leap Year Day.

“I think the whole concept is stupid,” he says. “They should do away with it.”

Sutton observes Feb. 28 as his birthday during non leap years. He doesn’t have anything special planned for Feb. 29.

“I’ll go to school and work just like any other day,” Sutton says. “When you get my age, birthdays are just another day.”

Lambert, who says she recently started taken better care of herself after years of putting her health on the backburner, hopes that she could be as active as the elderly people she works with at a Prichard community center. But when you age at a rate of every four years, even a decade of neglecting health doesn’t hurt in the long run.

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