Rochester, N.Y. – Babies rang in the New Year at Strong Memorial Hospital early Tuesday morning. The first baby of the year in Monroe County was born at 12:50 a.m., the second just 15 minutes later.
Neither family anticipated a New Year's baby; both had due dates of January 6.
“It's a moment I'm not going to forget,” said Rossi Bell, of Greece, about when his daughter, Layah Niree Bell, was born.
At seven pounds two ounces Layah was the first baby to ring in the New Year in Monroe County.
“It’s New Year's, but it's more special now because it's my daughter’s birthday," said Bell.
“I didn't really care actually,” said Lauren Watkins, Layah’s mother when asked about the date, “I just wanted her to be here.”
Watkins didn't even realize it was the New Year until minutes after midnight.
“I looked up at the clock and it was 12:10 and I said babe come here, in the middle of contractions, I was just out of it,” said Watkins. “It was no ball drop for us, she was our ball at 12:50 a.m."
Down the hall baby number two of the New Year, Nolan Christian Cavo, came into the world just minutes later, at 1:05 a.m.
“My doctor, when I asked her how big she thought the baby was going to be she said 7.5 but no he was 9.1,” said Claire Cavo, of Perinton, Nolan’s mother.
Nolan came five days before his original due date. On a date his parents are very happy about.
“When I thought I was going to have it on the 31st I was kind of hoping it was going to be on the first,” said Cavo, “because it's a new year, a special way to start the year.”
“For sure it started the year off right for us,” said Jason Cavo, Nolan’s father. “We didn't know when he was coming for sure. We had a little bit of a tough time the 24-hours up to it. Right around 11:00 p.m., on the 31st, I saw my tax exemption going past me so I forgot about that quickly and we just focused on her and the baby.”
Both babies have two very excited older siblings. Layah is the youngest of three girls and Nolan is the youngest of three boys.
