New babies ring in new year at suburban hospitals

While many people were shouting Happy New Year and celebrating in the first moments of 2012, Nicole Klemundt was busy with something else.

“I was pushing,” said the Mount Prospect woman, who gave birth to Haylee Bree Dufkis at 12:19 a.m. Sunday at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, helping to ring in the new year at suburban hospitals.

Thousands more are expected during 2012 at the hospital, which in 2011, saw the delivery of 3,520 babies. Haylee’s mother and father, Joel Dufkis, thought the birth would likely be a big deal coming so close to the new year.

“I knew she wasn’t quite coming at midnight, so I did not know how big it was going to be,” Klemundt said. “This was pretty cool that she was (close).”

With the new year looming, Klemundt said she had a feeling similar to when she was running cross-country and was at the last quarter mile. “You gotta get it done. You gotta get her out.”

She said everything went smoothly.

“I only pushed for half an hour,” she said.

“I’m just happy she is healthy,” said Dufkis, who hadn’t counted on his daughter being a new year baby. “She wasn’t due until Jan. 7 anyway, so we weren’t expecting anything.”

Of course, now that Haylee’s birthday is Jan. 1, every celebration is going to assume a special significance.

“Now she is going to be expecting a big party every year,” Dufkis said.

“That’s one thing she gets, a nice party, and she gets a nice break for her birthday,” Klemundt added, noting that Haylee’s birthday will fall during winter break when she is of school age.

But, she also realized, “Kids won’t be able to decorate her locker.”

“Miracle baby”

The first child for David and Laura Neal of Harvard was also one of the first to be born in the suburbs this year.

“We would like to call this a miracle baby,” David Neal, pastor of Faith Baptist Church, said of his son Caleb Neal, born at 12:35 a.m. Sunday at Centegra Memorial Medical Center in Woodstock. The couple has been married 13 years.

The couple arrived at the hospital about 7 p.m. New Year’s Eve.

“We thought it might be a 2011 baby,” David said. There were some complications for Laura, but everything worked out and everyone is fine, he added.

Cheering her on

Brenda Flores and Reynaldo Torres of Carpentersville are the proud parents of Ayden. Born at 12:40 a.m. New Year’s Day at St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates, he weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces.

The birth, Brenda Flores said, was a bit difficult, compared to her 7-year-old daughter, also named Brenda. “I was actually pushing when 12 o’clock hit. I had nurses coming in and cheering me on,” she said.

On his own schedule

Another baby, also one of the first of 2012, managed to be late and early at the same time.

Welles Joseph Florek of Crystal Lake arrived at 1:28 a.m. at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, later than his due date on Friday but ahead of an induced birth, which had been scheduled for Tuesday.

“We used that as a threat,” joked mom, Bethany, who with her husband, John, on Sunday were enjoying the arrival of their second child.

“He decided to come on his own.”

There was no indication Welles’ birth was imminent.

John Florek said he was shopping about 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Menards home improvement store on Randall Road in Carpentersville when his wife called to say her water broke.

“I just left my cart in the aisle with stuff in it and I left. I got out of there quick,” he said.

‘We feel so blessed’

Kathleen and Kevin Cramer rang in the new year with a newborn.

The Carol Stream couple welcomed George Ryan Cramer, 7 pounds and 12 ounces, at 1:41 a.m. Sunday at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, making him one of the first babies born in DuPage County in 2012.

“He is doing wonderful,” she said. “A beautiful baby boy.”

She said, “It’s that much more special,” knowing that his birthday will coincide with New Years’ celebrations.

The first child for Kathleen, 37, and Kevin, 40, was named after both grandfathers, who were named George.

Sadly, Kevin’s father died just before the couple discovered they were expecting.

Kathleen said they thought the baby would arrive in 2011, but he took his time being born.

While everyone was shouting, “Happy New Year, I was pushing. We just feel so blessed because it was definitely a surprise, a wonderful surprise for us,” Kathleen said.

‘I couldn’t believe it’

Meanwhile, the first baby of the year at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove made her entrance at 2:43 a.m. New Year’s Day.

Lily Proz-Ozinga weighed in at 5 pounds and 13 ounces. Mom Julia Proz-Ozinga and grandmother Beverly Ozinga of Winfield were overjoyed.

“I was teasing my sister months ago that she’d show up on New Year’s Day, and I couldn’t believe it happened,” Julia said.

The baby was due Jan. 24, Julia said.

“She decided to make a special appearance.”

Lily has an older brother, 2-year-old John.

With the Jan. 1 birth date, “she will always have a party for her birthday,” the proud mom said.

Dr. Richard Barton, an obstetrician on staff at Good Samaritan Hospital, delivered baby Lily.

“We’ve been trying to keep this baby in for weeks. But I guess she was determined to come out and party,” Barton said.

Dinner interruption

Elsewhere in Lake County, Kimberly Rocha was born at 4:42 a.m. at Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan.

The daughter of Jose and Marianna Rocha of Waukegan, she weighed 6 pounds, 7 ounces, was 19 inches long and arrived 12 days early.

Marianna, a receptionist at Vista physicians group in Gurnee, said she was having dinner at her aunt’s house in Waukegan about 8 p.m. Saturday when the contractions began.

“My sister drove me over. Everybody’s doing fine. Everything is going good,” she said Sunday afternoon.

The New Year’s Day birth was a surprise, said Jose Rocha. The couple also have a 4-year-old son.

Ahead of schedule

Batavia residents Charlesteen “Charlie” Lane and Jose Antonio Holguin welcomed Natalia Maria Holguin, six pounds, 10 ounces at 9:58 a.m. New Year’s Day. In was the first baby of the new year at Delnor Hospital in Geneva.

Lane said the child, their second, was due Jan. 13 but arrived early.

“We’re both doing great,” she said.