NEW YEAR, 2 NEW BABIES - part 1

Karter James Dwire may have taken his sweet ol' time coming into this world, but the Pequot Lakes baby boy knew how to make a dramatic entrance.

Karter was born at 12:38 a.m. Tuesday, becoming the first baby born in Crow Wing County in 2008 and the first baby of the year born at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd.

He was born via Cesarean section more than two weeks after his due date of Dec. 18 after more than 17 hours of labor - including more than two hours of pushing - for his mother, Amanda Dwire. He weighed in at 8 pounds, 15 ounces, and was 20 inches long. By Tuesday night Dwire was exhausted but happy to hold her newborn boy in her arms.

"Those epidurals, I recommend them to any girls who are pregnant," Dwire said with a laugh. "No pain there."

The little boy has so much thick, dark hair he may soon need a haircut, joked his mother.

"The first haircut will be an early haircut," said Dwire. "Thick hair runs in my family."

It had never occurred to Dwire that she would have a New Year's baby since Karter was due weeks ago. She was scheduled to be induced Monday and arrived at the hospital at 6:45 a.m. but figured she'd be having the baby by that afternoon. Karter James had his own plan. She said she didn't know what she was having since her baby boy was never positioned in the right way during her ultrasounds. She thought she was having a girl, she said.

"I was shocked," Dwire said, of learning she had a baby boy.

Dwire worked at Breezy Point Resort in the laundry department but quit in November because her growing belly made it impossible to bend over in the large laundry baskets.

"I'm just glad he's here, finally," said Dwire. "He was worth the wait."

Karter's grandparents include Bud and Vickie McCarty, Backus.

Karter was the only baby born at St. Joseph's Medical Center on New Year's Day.

JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.