First new year’s baby born in New Hanover County brings many surprises

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY)– The new year has new meaning for family in New Hanover County.

Their new addition happens to be the first baby of 2015 in our area. The Steele family welcomed their newborn into the world just moments after midnight.

Gabriel was born at 8 pounds 3 ounces and a bundle of surprises at 12:24 am New Year’s Day. This was four days after his due date.

“We went to bed thinking we were going to have a nice quiet New Year’s Eve,” mother Alexis Steele said.

That all changed at 11:30 pm. While most people were watching fire works and celebrating 2015, Alexis and Timothy Steele rang in the new year at the corner of 17th Street and Independence on their way to the hospital.

“All of a sudden it was like we’re having a baby and we’re having it now,” Timothy said.

Twenty-four minutes later Gabriel entered the world.

“We weren’t even in the hospital for twenty minutes before the baby came,” Alexis said.

They say they are thankful for that quick twenty minutes.

“We’re just really pleased to have such a healthy baby and certainly didn’t think we were going to have the first baby of the year,” Alexis said. “It was a shock for all of us.”

By all of us Alexis means their other three children.

“They go to bed and all of a sudden they wake up with a brand new brother,” Timothy said.

A brother was not what they were expecting.

“We did not know the sex of this baby,” Alexis said. “We were guessing that it was a girl so, we were a little bit surprised when they held the baby up and dad says ‘It’s a boy!'”

While the rest of the country celebrated with fireworks, the Steele’s celebrated with their 6th edition. It is a celebration they’ll never forget.

“This is just kind of a special way to ring in the new year and just celebrate him,” Alexis said.

“He isn’t just a new years baby,” Timothy said. “He was the New Year’s baby.”

“Yeah, in New Hanover,” Alexis said.

A spokeswoman at New Hanover Regional Medical Center says as of 5:00 pm there were a total of three babies born there on New Year’s Day.