Those born Feb. 29 can celebrate

RALEIGH -- Zachary Crabill has been waiting four years for his first birthday.

That makes today a very special day. Zack, like other "leapers" or "leaplings," had the luck to be born Feb. 29 -- a day that rolls around only once every four years.

Zack's parents are throwing him a big bash this afternoon at Karate Kids for Christ in North Raleigh, where Zack takes lessons.

All week on leap year electronic mailing lists, e-mail has been flying, detailing how people will honor their infrequent birthdays. Some have commiserated about the dearth of Hallmark cards tailored to the extra day tacked to every fourth February or the difficulty of finding appropriate decorations at party supply stores.

"It's uncanny how few people know about it," said Crystal Crabill, Zack's mother. "You cannot find anything leap year-related -- cards, nothing. Yup, poor guy, he's left out."

But she and husband Dan, Clayton residents, have done everything they can to let their son know how special his birthday is.

The family has never met another leaper face to face, but Crystal Crabill is trying to arrange a lunch between her son and Ann Steitz, another leaper she found online. Steitz, a Raleigh resident, turns 44 today -- on her 11th birthday.

On Tuesday, Crabill explained leap year to her older son Nicholas' first-grade class at North Raleigh Christian Academy. The Earth takes a little less than 365 and one-quarter days to go around the sun, she said. If the Gregorian calendar didn't stick an extra day in once every four years, the calendar could slowly get out of whack with the seasons.

Crabill asked the class whether anyone know of someone who was born Feb. 29.

Nick was jumping up and down in his seat, waving his hand in the air, before he proudly announced: "My brother, Zacky!"

Crabill called Zack forward from the class sidelines. And the first-graders clapped.

On Thursday, Crabill took Zack for his once-a-year portrait at Triangle Town Center mall. The manager at Great American Cookies gave Zack a cookie cake, decorated with a frog. And Crabill bestowed upon Zack a Webkinz frog.

Frogs have been her son's emblem ever since Crabill went into labor with Zack and her sister took Crabill's older son Nick to Target to buy a present. Nick picked out a little stuffed frog for his baby brother.

It later dawned on Crabill: "It's leap year day, and he got a frog. How appropriate is that?"

Zack's birthday party today will also feature the amphibian. The room will be festooned in green balloons. The cake will be adorned with a frog. Plates and napkins will be swamp-themed, and partygoers will don hats with a big fat frog on the front.