Just five minutes into 2025, a late arrival turned into a New Year’s Day surprise for parents Machaela Croft and Chris O’Heir.
Harper O’Heir — weighing seven pounds, 14 ounces — was the first baby born at North York General Hospital in 2025. Harper is the second child for Croft and O’Heir, both school teachers in Toronto.
“We didn’t expect to have a New Year’s baby until about 10:45 p.m. last night,” O’Heir told the Star from the family’s hospital room. “We’re very excited — and tired.”
“She was actually due on Dec. 29,” Croft said, adding that she assumed Harper — the couple’s second child — would arrive early rather than late.
As a small token of her Jan. 1 arrival, Harper received a tiny, knitted hat from couple Ian and Adrian who welcomed the first Christmas baby at the now-shuttered downtown Wellesley Hospital 40 years ago.
“I am paying the kindness forward,” a card accompanying the gift reads. “I hope this hat, knit with love, will keep your baby’s head warm and covered with blessings.”
Later on Wednesday, the couple’s eldest child, Oliver, met his new baby sister for the first time.
“He was pretty enamoured,” O’Heir said. “But we’ll see what happens long-term.”
Asked about their 2025 resolutions, the couple kept it simple: “Survive life with two kids under two.”
O’Heir and Croft are among a handful of parents who welcomed the first new additions of the year at hospitals across the GTA.
Just seconds after midnight in Mississauga, baby Huzaifa was born, according to a social media post shared by Trillium Health Partners.
“Congratulations to the entire family,” the health network said in its statement. “We are honored to have played a part in this special moment.”
About an hour later, at 12:55, parents Sarah and Stephen welcomed Jamie-Lynn into the world at Southlake Regional Health Centre, in Newmarket. Baby and mom are both doing well, the hospital said.
In Durham Region, parents Navethra Goviandarasu and Rathnagiri Athiannan welcomed a baby girl weighing just five pounds, 12 ounces a little before 2 a.m. at Oshawa Hospital, Lakeridge Health said in a news release.
“The parents are grateful for the tremendous support and compassion they received from the team including obstetrician, Dr. Paul Pancham,” the release reads.
At Mackenzie Health’s Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, parents Taranpreet and Vijayvir welcomed baby Anhad just before 3 a.m. — a “first child for (the) proud parents,” the hospital said in a statement.
And just about half an hour later, baby Lennox was born at Markham Stouffville Hospital, weighing just under seven pounds. Lennox was not only the first baby of the year born at the hospital, but the first birth at the hospital’s new midwifery unit.
In a statement released by the hospital, Lennox’s parents described the experience as “something special that (they) will always remember.”
“We’re so grateful to the fantastic team at Markham Stouffville Hospital for their care and support,” they said.
