Daraine Luton, Staff Reporter

Proud mother, Dawnesha Lesley-Bowell, holds her daughter Renee Alexia Bowell. Weighing in at five and a half pounds, baby Renee was delivered at 3:10 a.m. on New Year's Day, making her the first child to be delivered at the Cornwall Regional Hospital, Montego Bay, St. James. - Claudine Housen/Staff Photographer

AT FIRST, it seemed baby Kenrick Kemar Madourie was protesting against having his photograph taken.

His small fingers waved about in the air and his mouth, as small as a 10 cent coin, pouted as if he were thinking, "Why didn't you take the picture when the Prime Minister was kissing me?"

It was not for long though as he soon settled into the arms of his 36-year-old mother, Ann-Marie Brown. But the little man did not smile.

Kenrick was the first baby delivered at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital in 2007.

A bouncing boy who weighed in at seven and three quarter pounds, Kenrick entered a whole new world at 12:15 a.m. Tuesday.

Birth certificates

Baby Kenrick relaxes in the arms of his mother, Ann-Marie Brown, hours after entering the world as the first New Year's birth at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital in Kingston, yesterday. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

While he can soon brag about being the first Jubilee birth of 2007, he will have to play sixth fiddle to the six brothers and one sister who long preceded him.

Yesterday, Kenrick, who will soon head to Rum Lane in central Kingston to meet the family, was among Jubilee children born on New Year's Day to receive gifts from Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller.

Ms. Brown and other parents were also presented copies of birth certificates by represen-tatives of the Registrar General's Department.

Included among those receiving special gifts from the Prime Minister were the children of Shelly-Ann Williams and Delorese Gaynor.

Ms. Williams, who gave birth at 1:27 a.m., made the second delivery of the year, while Ms. Gaynor was third, giving birth at 2:45 a.m.

Twins in 2007

Meanwhile, Keisha Malcolm, who had done an ultrasound during pregnancy which showed the image of one baby, had Jubilee's first double birth of 2007.

Her sons, Antoine and Antonio Black, were delivered 15 minutes apart. Antoine at 8:30 a.m. and Antonio at 8:45 a.m.

Ms. Malcolm said: "I was shocked when the nurse told me there is one more. I didn't expect it."

Keisha Malcolm, 29, of New Haven, St. Andrew, holds her pair of twins, Antonio and Antoine Black. The boys, who both weighed six pounds, were the first twins born on New Year's Day at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

Montego Bay

In Montego Bay, St. James, Dawnesha Lesley-Bowell, gave birth to a girl, Renée Alexia Bowell, at 3:10 a.m., making her the first delivery at the Cornwall Regional Hospital.

Weighing in at five and a half pounds, baby Renée was deliv-ered at 3:10 a.m. on New Year's Day, making her the first child to be delivered at the Cornwall Regional Hospital for the year.

Mandeville

In Spauldings, Thesseca Goulbourne gave birth to baby girl Tessanne Dahilla Saunders, the first to be born at the Percy Junor Hospital in Manchester for 2007.

Thesseca Goulbourne with her baby girl Tessanne Dahilla Saunders. The baby was the first to be born at the Percy Junor Hospital in Manchester for 2007. The baby, weighing 2.85 kilograms, was delivered at 2:15 a.m. She is the fourth child for Ms. Goulbourne and the first for father, Marlon Saunders. - Photo by Byron McDaniel