MIAMI – Happy New Year had an extra special meaning for some South Florida families.
Several local mommies were the first to welcome their newborn babies into the world after the calendar flipped to 2020.
The first 2020 baby in Broward County was born at Memorial West hospital in Pembroke Pines at 12:19 a.m.
Sarrah and husband Ahmed welcomed their first child, a 6 pound, 11 ounce baby girl named Layla.
"I was excited, I didn’t even know when they were telling me to push (that she was) going to be the first baby," said Sarrah. "I was like, I don’t know, I just want her out."
23 miles away at 12:16 a.m., new mom Katherine Sinay and dad Alexis Chavarria welcomed baby boy Liam at Kendall Regional Medical Center.
The 7 pound, 5 ounce newborn was due last week, and Katherine says she never expected he would wait until the New Year to join the family.
"It was a long labor, it was over 24 hours," she said. "And then at the end, I had to get a C-section."
It was an unexpected and unconventional way to ring in the New Year, and for these new parents, 2020 is already overwhelming in the best possible way.
"It’s my first time being a mother, so I’m trying to learn," said Katherine. "I think I'm going to start learning something new day by day."
OTHER NEW YEAR’S BABIES
Baptist Health's first newborn in Miami-Dade was born at 1:56 a.m. at Baptist Hospital.
Ethan Carroll – 7 pounds, 11 ounces.
North Shore Medical Center welcomed its first newborn at 10 a.m.
Parents Christopher Santilla and Madely Romero, and big brother Israel Santilla, welcomed baby Olivia, who was born weighing 7 points and measuring 20 inches long.
Northwest Women's Hospital in Margate said hello to baby Nova Valentina Robert at 9:04 a.m.
Baby Nova was born to proud parents Andrea and Bryan. She weighs in at 5 pounds, 1 ounce and measured 18.5 inches long.
Broward Health's first 2020 baby came into the world at 1:08 a.m.
Tangy Hiott-Sanda and Maurice Sands said hello to baby Taylor, who weighed 6 pounds, 7 ounces.
She becomes the sixth sibling in her family.