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First Local Babies Ring in 2014

Lots of babies will be born in 2014, and some are already here. Landon Shane Johnson is the first one born in Fort Smith in the new year. Johnson rang in 2014 w...

Lots of babies will be born in 2014, and some are already here. Landon Shane Johnson is the first one born in Fort Smith in the new year.

Johnson rang in 2014 weighing 7 pounds, 10 ounces, and was 19 inches long. He was born at 1:04 a.m. on Jan. 1, at Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith.

“He just didn't want to come out until midnight,” mother Jessica Wheeler said. “I didn't start pushing him out until midnight.”

The baby wasn't expected to come for another three weeks.

“I wasn`t even expecting him to be the first baby of the year,” said grandmother Gina Glenn. “That was really exciting for him to pop up this early.”

Johnson’s family said they could see fireworks from the New Year's Eve celebration burst into the air through their hospital window as he was being born.

“It was a big celebration in here,” said Glenn.

As the big celebration continues, Wheeler said this will be a story to tell for years to come.

"I was nervous, so scared and in pain for a minute,” she said. "But after I heard him cry, it was all worth it.”

Also in Fort Smith, at Sparks Health System, Izabella became the first baby of 2014 born there, weighing in at 7 pounds 1 ounce.

sparks baby

Martha Sanchez and Ismael Elizondo say Izabella's three siblings are eagerly waiting at home for her. The doctor who delivered Izabella has now delivered three of Sanchez' four children.

Sparks gave the family two baskets filled with diapers as a gift.

In Benton County, Ruby Frances Daniel was the first baby born in the New Year. She was born around 3:45 Wednesday (Jan. 1) morning at Mercy Hospital in Rogers, weighing in at 5 pounds, 12 ounces.

""At about 2 o'clock [my wife] said we have to get to the hospital," said Joshua Daniel, Ruby's Dad. "The first thing I thought was this is the worst time to be out on the roads but we got here very hastily but safely."

Even though Mom and Dad said they were worried about being out on the roads with New Year's Eve celebrations going on, they were able to make it to the hospital without having any problems.

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