NATCHEZ — Savannah Lynn McHale kept her mom, April Sanders of Monterey, waiting six days so she could be the New Year’s baby.

“I had a good feeling I would have the New Year’s Baby,” Sanders said. “I was six days late — it was like she was waiting for the New Year.

“She was being prissy. She wanted us to wait on her.”

Sanders’ mom, Carol Sanders, said the prissy gene was passed down from April, who is a first-time mother.

“But I am proud of my daughter, and proud of my grandbaby,” said Carol Sanders, who now has seven grandchildren.

Stanton McHale, first-time father, also of Monterey, cut the umbilical cord and took the baby to the nursery.

“It was great taking her to the nursery,” McHale said. “I could have done without cutting the cord, though.”

The couple arrived at the Natchez Regional Medical Center at 2 a.m., where both Stanton and April were born years ago, and Savannah was born at 3:24 p.m. She was 20 and a half inches long and weighed 7 pounds and 4 ounces.

Sanders said childbirth wasn’t as bad as everyone made it out to be.

“It was especially easy after the epidural,” Sanders said. “And nurse Liz was sweet, very patient and good hearted.”

McHale said from his side it looked painful, but he was glad to hear that it wasn’t all that bad, and especially glad that Sanders never wanted to kill him. Sanders said at approximately 5:30 p.m. she had only been able to hold Savannah for approximately 20 minutes.

“But they have been precious and beyond fabulous minutes,” Sanders said. “Her dad has been able to hold her more than me.”

Thanks to Carol Sanders, Savannah had plenty presents under the Christmas Tree.

“My mom has already started spoiling her,” Sanders said. “She had more presents than me, and she wasn’t even born yet.”

“April has long been the baby of the family,” Carol Sanders said. “Now, it is time for her baby to be the baby.”

Carol Sanders said Savannah’s great-grandmother, Vivian Keener, 89, was at the hospital when the child was born.

“Savannah has her long fingers and toes,” Carol Sanders said.

McHale said it was cool that he had the New Year’s baby, and his mom, Toni McHale, said that his brother was the 30,000th baby delivered at Natchez Regional Medical Center.

“Getting milestones here is a family tradition,” Toni McHale said.

Sanders is studying to be a medical office assistant at the Louisiana Technical College Ferriday Branch and McHale works at D and D Drilling.

McHale said the couple would have more children, but not right now.

“But not anytime soon,” McHale said.