Leap year boy celebrates 2nd birthday despite being days away from turning eight

A leap year baby is set to celebrate his second birthday - despite being days away from turning eight-years-old.

Blue Turner was born at 1 am on February 29, 2016, making him one of the rare leap year babies who celebrate an extra birthday every four years.

The youngster says he is looking forward to his birthday next week, when he will be turning eight, despite technically only being two in leap years.

And while he doesn't quite understand what a leap year is, Blue does know that he gets two rounds of presents, according his proud mum and dad.

Parents Paul, 44, and Rachael, 42, welcomed Blue into the world at Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital almost three weeks before his due date of March 20.

It was even day the Paul proposed to Rachel by dressing up Blue in a baby grow which said "Mommy, Will You Marry Daddy" written on it.

Dad-of-two Paul, from Willenhall, West Mids., said: "It was a real shock when we had him, I always wanted him to be born on a leap year really.

"It was actually on that day that I proposed to my wife Rachel. I dressed him in a blue onesie that said 'marry me' on it.

"We all really love it, it's quite funny but it's really special too to be born on a leap year. It's amazing.

"We all really love it. I'm quite big on social media so I love to put it online, we all like to have fun with the fact he was born on a leap year.

"This year we have gone all out, we have got him an electric quad bike and all the safety clothing to go with it.

"He is really excited about it."

The couple say they have already have a special birthday planned for Blue's 16th, which would see him turn four-years-old in leap years.

Paul, who works as a porter, added: "We actually have a bit of a plan for a special birthday when he turns 16.

"We want to try and make it extra special.

"We are on about doing his birthday but doing like he is turning four years old, he would find that really funny

"We will get a bouncy castle and have kids party games, although it's obviously still quite a way off we've already thought of it.

"He is really looking forward to it this year though, he keeps on telling me how many sleeps he has until his birthday. It's amazing to see."

Finance assistant Rachel, who also has one other child Alfie, 15, from a previous relationship as well as Blue and Harlee, four, added: "It's quite special really.

"Blue was born prematurely as I had gestational diabetes so he was induced. But we hadn't really paid attention to the date because we just wanted him to arrive safely.

"Even then I went in on the Friday and had him on the Monday and it was only after the birth we realised it was a leap year.

"He knows he gets to have a special birthday every four years. We're going to try and make a big deal of it and have big celebrations every leap year.

"He hasn't clocked on yet that he could spread his birthday over February 28 and March 1 and get two birthdays.

"We usually celebrate it on the 28th and we'll have a bit of fun with it as the years go by no doubt.

"It's also the day Paul proposed to me. So after a rather traumatic birth I came back from a shower to another shock.

"I suspect it will be a running joke for us and we'll be giving him cards and gifts which aren't age appropriate to embarrass him as a teenager."