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New babies get cool 1/1/11 birthdays

Mary Faustina Haaker has a birth date that will be easy to remember. But it's also a date of birth that won't make a very effective combination for ATMs or other pincodes — 1/1/11.

The 7 pound, 13 ounce baby girl, who was born just 3 minutes into the new year at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, was the first baby born in West and Northwest suburban hospitals in 2011.

Parents Ron Haaker and Rosie Haaker, both 27 of Arlington Heights, were expecting a Christmas baby — Mary was due Dec. 26.

“We definitely didn't anticipate having the first baby of the new year,” Rosie Haaker said. “It was a surprise, but it is very exciting. We thought we were having a holiday baby, but not New Year's.”

Doctors induced Rosie Haaker on the morning of New Year's Eve and she checked in to the hospital at 2 p.m. The labor was slow to progress until 11:59 p.m. when doctors told Rosie Haaker to start pushing.

“Four minutes of pushing,” Rosie Haaker said. “That was the fastest part of the labor.”

The proud parents, who also have a 2-year-old daughter, Molly, said they hope to have eight children.

“But if you had asked us yesterday if we planned on having any more, the answer would have been no,” Ron Haaker said.

About 40 minutes after baby Haaker was born, Sherman Hospital in Elgin welcomed a baby girl for Shannon and Paul Ross of Huntley.

Caitlin Joya Ross was born at 12:45 a.m. weighing 9 pounds, 3 ounces. Caitlin, who was a week early, interrupted her parents' board game.

“I was hoping we could have her before midnight to get the tax break,” Paul Ross joked about 12 hours after his daughter was born. “But she's beautiful and that doesn't matter.”

Elsewhere in the suburbs, Isabelle Mary Lancor was born at 12:45 a.m. Saturday at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital in DuPage County. She was due on New Year's Day, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Her parents, Jessica Bulger and Paul Lancor Jr. of Westmont, were at home Saturday night when Jessica went into labor.

Bulger said the couple, who are engaged to be married in November, had been preparing for the big day for a month and were ready to go.

Isabelle arrived after 6-1/2 hours of labor. She was 7 pounds, 10 ounces at birth and 19-1/2 inches long.

She is the couple's first child. Bulger said she had a miscarriage in early 2010, not long before she became pregnant again.

Bulger said she's amazed by her daughter.

“She's very, very cute,” Bulger said. “I know her cries already.”

Jakob Ezequiel Garcia was the first baby born at a Lake County hospital this year, arriving at 5:27 a.m. at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

He came 10 days early, surprising mom Esther Garcia and dad Javier Garcia. The Round Lake couple were playing a bowling game on their home Wii system late Friday night when Esther's water broke.

Javier kept cool, scooped up their other kids — ages 5 and 2 — and got the car ready while Esther changed her clothes for the trip to Condell.

Jakob arrived after about five hours of labor. He was 20 1/2 inches long and weight 7 pounds, 11 ounces.

“I feel very happy, because I didn't expect it,” Esther Garcia said through an interpreter.

Javier said he wishes Jakob would've arrived on his due date — which also is Esther's birthday.

“Then (we'd have) two birthdays at once,” he said.

Meet the first new suburbanites of 2011

JOE LEWNARD/jlewnard@dailyherald.comArlington Heights residents Ron and Rosie Haaker welcomed Mary Haaker to the family at 12:03 a.m. Saturday.
Lake County’s first baby of 2011, Jakob Garcia, was born at 5:27 a.m. at Condell Medical Center. He weighed 7lbs 11 oz and was 20.5 inches long. His parents are Esther and Javier Garcia of Round Lake. Photo courtesy of Vince Pierri/Advocate Condell Me
  Paul Ross tries to soothe his newborn daughter Caitlin Joya Ross Saturday in the NICU unit at Sherman Hospital in Elgin. Caitlin was the first baby born in Kane County in 2011, emerging at 12:45 a.m. and weighing in at 9 pounds 3 ounces for Paul and mom Shannon. Rick West/rwest@dailyherald.com
  Jessica Bulger holds her daughter Isabelle Mary while father, Paul Sancor Jr., looks on at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital Saturday. Isabelle was the first baby born in DuPage County in 2011. PAUL MICHNA/pmichna@dailyherald.com
Lake County’s first baby of 2011, Jakob Garcia, was born at 5:27 a.m. Photo courtesy of Vince Pierri/Advocate Condell Me
Lake County’s first baby of 2011, Jakob Garcia was born at 5:27 a.m. He weighed 7 pounds 11 ounces and was 20.5 inches long. Parents are Esther and Javier Garcia of Round Lake. Photo courtesy of Vince Pierri/Advocate Condell Me