NATCHEZ — On Jan. 2, La’Miya Mysha Butler became the first new baby of 2008 to be born at Natchez Community Hospital.

Director of the Birthing Center at Community, Marie O’Neal, said the first baby of the new year for the hospital is always a special one.

“For us, it’s a special occasion,” she said. “It’s a brand new baby for a brand new year.”

Butler’s mother Ashley Green, unbeknownst to her, was actually in the running to have the fist baby of 2008.

She went into labor on Jan. 1, around 1 a.m.

“I was hurting bad,” she said. “I was getting ready for bed and it (the pain) just kept coming.”

Green said she told Butler’s father, La’Mar Butler, she thought the baby was ready to be born.

And even though Green’s was not the first baby in 2008, she said she was simply glad to have her first child.

“She is beautiful,” she said.

And the newest Butler was indeed beautiful with a full head of black hair she slept peacefully in her mother’s arms without a care in the world.

Since Butler was the first baby to be born at Community her parents won an enormous basket of gifts for their newborn.

O’Neal said the basket included diapers and just about anything a new mother might need.

Green said she loved the basket.

“They have a lot of great stuff in the basket,” Green said. “We really appreciate it.’”

While Green likely won’t be released from the hospital until Saturday, she said she only has one concern at the moment.

“I just want to be the best mother I can be,” she said.