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- newest babies . _"., Local parents proudly present West Niagara's On January 1, residents of West Niagara gathered to celebrate the New Year, toll the bells and drink champagne, but for two families the time was spent preparing for a new addi- tion to their family units. At exactly 4:3f a.m. on January 1, Jonah Wotherspoon made his Andrew and Teresa Knegt of Beamsville show off their youngest child Ashlyn Dawn. Born at 7:15 am. on January 1, Ashlyn was the second baby to be born in the West Niagara area in the New Year, but the first to be born with the assistance of a midwife in their family home. T ' b L ‘7‘“: .' $.35,” "" ; if '_, f " Ne 3’ : ' Weekend Edition, Saturday, January 5, 2002 - . entry into the world as the first baby to be born in the area of West Niagara. Weighing in at six pounds and ten ounces, little Jonah was welcomed by his mother Sarah and father Jeff and two older siblings. Born on schedule, tiiis newest Grimsby resident was the first New Year's baby to be born in the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital. In honour of his birth, President of the Hospital Auxiliary Barb Page, presented Jonah with a silver spoon engraved with his birth date and a small blue teddy bear to keep him company in his crib. Local businesses pitched in and presented the Before heading home from the hospital and starting life anew, the Wotherspoon family of Grimsby, takes a moment for a quick picture with their newest addition. From left to right are Sarah, Jonah, Caleb, Haley and Jett. Born at 4:37 a.m. on January I, Jonah was the first baby of the New Year to be born in the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital and in all of West Niagara. Ashlyn Dawn Knegt is the fifth child to be born in her family and the first to be born at home. Opting for a home birth supervised by a midwife, Mrs. Knegt stated that she wouldn't have traded the intimate experience for the most clinical institu- tion available. "This way you don't have to go out into the cold and you don't have to worry about getting caught Wothefitoon family with an array of donated items including diapers, bottles and a laundry basket to carrying everything home. Not too long after Jonah's arrival, the second West Niagara baby and the first home birthed child, joined her family at 7:15 a.m. in their Beamsville home. Daughter of Andrew andTeresa Knegt, in the van," said Mrs. Knegt. "And as far as I know, my family doctor does not deliver, but she (the midwife) is there the whole time and you know who you’re getting." Afthoughinah will be the last child to grace the Wotherspoon family, the Knegt's claim they will hold out for as many chil- dren as the Lord gives them.