Queens babies share honor of first born

BY JESSICA LYONS

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 7:29 PM EST

The honor of being the first born in New York City in 2009 went to two babies born in Queens.

Sunyoung Lee gave birth to daughter Grace at 12:09 a.m. at New York Hospital Queens on Thursday, January 1, 2009. Just a minute later, at 12:10 a.m., another little girl, Zenia, was born at Flushing Hospital to mother Samera Hussain and father Soheel Hussain.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that the two little girls would share the title of being the first ones born in New York City in the New Year. “Both babies were born at exactly the same time.”

Born weighing six pounds and three ounces and measuring 20 inches, Grace is the fourth child born to Lee and father Kyoung Pak of Bayside.

New York Hospital Queens gave the family a $1,000 savings bond and baby-themed floral basket.

Zenia weighed seven pounds and 13 ounces. She was 51 centimeters in length.

From the hospital, Zenia received an “I Was Born at Flushing Hospital” teddy bear. Flushing Hospital also gave her a new outfit and blanket.

While New York Hospital Queens and Flushing Hospital were celebrating the first babies of 2009, LIJ Medical Center was celebrating its last birth of 2008. Rosedale residents Loreleen and Mike Mirra welcomed daughter Grace at 10:44 p.m. on December 31, 2008.

By making it into the world before the New Year was ushered in, Grace earned her parents an “11th-hour tax deduction.” Nugent Cataleno, a tax preparer for H&R Block in New Hyde Park, presented the family with a goodie basket. As part of the gift, the family’s 2008 tax return will be prepared free of charge by H&R Block.

Photo courtesy Flushing Hospital
Mayor Michael Bloomberg visited Flushing Hospital and declared baby Zenia, pictured with parents Samera and Soheel Hussain, one of two babies who were the first born in the city in the New Year.