Year's first babies join Class of 2034

Just as New Year's Eve revelers were winding down, expectant moms, dads and their medical teams were gearing up at suburban hospitals to greet 2016's first babies.

The first arrival was Jaylanie Rodriguez, born at 12:01 a.m. Friday at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. She is the first child of Aliyah Rodriguez of Chicago and weighed in at 5 pounds, 10 ounces.

First babies continued to arrive at a measured pace at suburban hospitals, joining a group that is poised to graduate from high school in 2034, turn 21 in 2037, retire in 2081 and still be around, in many cases, to usher in the turn of the next century.

James and Kari Lovgren of Bloomingdale had to get to Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield a few weeks earlier than expected but happily welcomed their second child, Luke Robert, at 12:50 a.m.

At Northwest Community Healthcare in Arlington Heights, Oliver Ortiz arrived at a memorable moment - 1:16 a.m. on 1-1-16. His parents are Jessica and Tony Ortiz of Rolling Meadows, who waited more than a week after his due date on Dec. 23. Oliver weighed 9 pounds, 7 ounces.

At 1:56 a.m. Caitlin and Matt Todd of Hampshire welcomed Clara Ann, the first baby born this year at Elmhurst Hospital. Their first child weighed 9 pounds, 5 ounces.

At 2:48 a.m. a 7-pound, 13-ounce baby boy named Noel was born at AMITA Health Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village.

Nicholas James Nachtwey arrived at 3:11 a.m. as the first baby of 2016 born at Edward Hospital in Naperville. The first child for Jennifer and Benjamin Nachtwey of Oswego weighed 6 pounds, 12 ounces.

At 4:48 a.m. the first baby of 2016 in McHenry County was born at Centegra Hospital-McHenry. Callum Wyatt Kampas, son of Katlyn Roehrig and Mike Kampas, arrived three weeks early and weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces.

And at 6:31 a.m., Jaxson Lee Ecker was born at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington. Jaxson is the second child of Taryn and Kyle Ecker of Carpentersville. He joins his older brother Evan, who will turn 3 next month.

With about two weeks before their baby was due, the Lovgrens had been trying to enjoy a New Year's Eve dinner date after dropping off their 1-year-old son Ethan at his grandparents house.

"We don't get much time alone," James Lovgren said.

But labor got in the way of romance when his wife started having contractions. The Bloomingdale parents stayed calm, finished their meal and arrived at Central DuPage Hospital at about 10:30 p.m. on New Year's Eve.

James Lovgren had a hunch his second child would be one of the first New Year's babies.

"He's got his first 15 minutes of fame," the proud dad said. Baby Luke weighed 6 pounds 8 ounces.

"He was gorgeous," Lovgren said. "I actually saw my other son in him. He's so tiny. He just looked perfect."

And with those looks, what's his future like?

"If he's anything like his brother, he's going to be very smart, and he's definitely going to be a ladies' man," dad said.

The due date for the Eckers' second child was Jan. 9 but the Carpentersville couple had a notion that wouldn't be the case.

"We kind of thought he might be here early," Taryn said. "I told my mom he was moving around a lot and I said, 'Maybe today is the day.'"

When contractions began coming five minutes apart at 4 a.m. on New Year's Day, they knew it was about time to head to the hospital. Evan was awake, too, and was trying to get his parents to go back to bed.

"We were telling him his brother was coming but I don't think he understood what was going on," Taryn joked.

They arrived at Good Shepherd at 5:15 p.m. and Jaxson Lee was born about 90 minutes later.

Some first babies waited until it was light out to make an appearance.

The first 2016 baby born at AMITA Health Alexian Brothers Women and Children's Hospital in Hoffman Estates was little Georgi, at 8:41 a.m., to Denitsa and Rosen Naydenova. Georgi was 6 pounds, 3 ounces, and 20 inches.

Baby Henry Harrison, the first baby of the year at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, arrived at 10:46 a.m. weighing 7 pounds, 8 ounces. His mom, Courtney, is from Long Island and dad, Andy, is from the Bronx. The are a military family and live at the Great Lakes Naval Station.

A baby boy, as yet unnamed, was born at 11:27 a.m. as the first of 2016 at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in St. Charles. His parents are Marisa and Jonathan Pfautz of Batavia. The 10-pound baby joins two brothers and a sister.

AT 12:04 p.m., Aitana Michelle Renteria was born to Gabriela Meza and Alejandro Renteria of South Elgin at Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin. She weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces.

And at 12:35 a.m. Demetri and Gia Sepsis of Elmhurst welcomed their first child, Teddy, at NorthShore Evanston Hospital. He weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces.

•Katlyn Smith and Joe Lewnard contributed to this story.