BATON ROUGE - The rarity of being born on Leap Day is 1 in 1,461.

One of the biggest questions for leaplings — those born on Leap Day — is when exactly do you celebrate a Feb. 29 birthday when it's a day that doesn't exist for four years? Well, that answer depends on the leapling.

"There's actually a huge battle in my family about which one is better," said Julie Emerson, a state representative. "Half of my family thinks I'm a February baby and the last day of February is my birthday, the other half thinks that March 1 is my birthday because it's the day after Feb. 28. So, I celebrate both days, sometimes all week just like everyone else."

Emerson is a veteran leapling, turning nine years old on Feb. 29. She recalls her favorite Leap Year birthdays when she turned 16 — her fourth birthday — and when she turned 28 — her seventh birthday. When Emerson was first elected into the legislature, she spent her seventh birthday in the 2016 special session. She jokes that her colleagues question her eligibility to be a state representative.

"Somebody asked me today if I really was eligible to run for the legislature because I've only had nine birthdays," Emerson said, laughing. "I was actually, I turned seven my first year in the legislature... I'm pretty sure I'm okay on the years, but we may have to amend the law to make sure I'm really eligible — I'm not sure."

Being a leapling is a good talking point, according to Emerson. New leaplings like R'mani Johnson and Alec Anderson will soon learn of that talking point, but they'll have to grow into it.

Little R'mani was born in the early hours of Leap Day at Woman's Hospital. His arrival was nine days earlier than expected.

"I was expecting March 9," said R'mani's father, Robert Johnson. "But my birthday is that month too, so I'm kinda glad that it ain't in my month, but now we gotta set a different date for his birthday cause it come(s) every four years."

At Woman's Hospital, every Leap Day baby's first outfit was a little white onesie with a frog and the words "Leap Day Baby." R'mani's fellow new leapling, Alec Anderson, was born around 1 a.m. at Woman's Hospital and also donned his special onesie.

Little Alec's arrival was perfectly expected. His parents recall the first time they saw the ultrasound of their little bundle of joy.

"It was one of those things when we were doing that first ultrasound, it was just like, 'Oh, the 29th.' And it was like, 'Wait, 29th, it's a Leap Year!,'" said Trent Anderson, Alec's father.

Some expectant families were taking bets and guesses on when their Leap Year babies would be born. 

"There were definitely some people going around saying, 'Oh, it's gonna be the 28th,' or 'It's gonna be the 29th,'" Anderson said. "I was for sure the 29th that whole time. I think it's a lifetime joke that he'll get to have."

Even more rare than having a Leap Year birthday is having red hair and being a leapling.

"There's a 1-in-1,500 chance to be born on a Leap Year," Anderson said in awe. "And then also to be a redhead on a Leap Year when we both don't have red hair; I think it's just a bigger chance, I think it's like 1-in-145,000ths of a chance. So, it's a pretty neat time to experience that with our baby."

The next Leap Year that comes around in 2028, Emerson will celebrate her 10th birthday. Babies R'mani and Alec will celebrate their first birthdays, and they'll one day get to decide if they want to celebrate their special days on Feb. 28 or March 1.