SALISBURY — Having a New Year’s baby was quite unexpected for Candace and Mark Robbins as her due date was Jan. 17 and a C-section was scheduled for Jan. 10, but Hollyn Hewitt Robbins made an early appearance.

It “kind of blew our minds,” Mark said.

Hollyn arrived a couple weeks early to this China Grove family on Monday at 11:46 a.m. at Rowan Regional Medical Center, landing her the honor of being the first baby born on New Year’s Day, 2024.

“She was early,” Mark said, as Candace added that he was at Atrium Cabarrus where he is employed as a nightshift house supervisor.

It was 1 a.m. on Jan. 1, and she contacted him letting him know it was time to go.

Hollyn, who arrived weighing 5 pounds and 5 ounces and 17 and three quarters inches in length, came early just like her big sister, Addison, 16, Candace noted. She also has brothers, Griffin, 13, and Asher, 2.

Her name has special significance as Candace said her maiden name was Holly and therefore, they came up with Hollyn for their newest addition to the family. Her middle name, Hewitt, remembers Mark’s dad who passed away when Mark was only 13 as it was his middle name, and the maiden name of Mark’s grandmother.

All of the family, including grandparents, are from China Grove, and one thing Candace and Mark shared, is that of all the four children, Hollyn is the first to be born in Rowan County. 

Candice noted that Addison came early while they were at the beach and was born in Horry County, South Carolina, Griffin was born in Cabarrus, and Asher was born in Mecklenburg.

With their fourth bundle of joy making her arrival and heading home, Mark said she would probably be adding “some excitement.”

Addison and Griffin both said they were excited to which Addison shared, “I’m excited I have a sister,” and she can dress her up and do her hair and she would be too little to bug her about clothes. Mom added that it “will be a special relationship.”

Candace said it would be interesting to see what brother Asher thinks ”as he had only seen baby sister via Facetime” and just looked at her.

The family was presented with a special basket of essential items for Hollyn from Smart Start Rowan, including diapers, wipes, a plaque donated from the Trophy House on which they can have her name engraved, a baby blanket and a gift certificate to Smart Start Rowan’s early learning center.

This gift is a longstanding tradition as Amy Brown, executive director of Smart Start Rowan, said she has been serving in that role since 2014 and has been doing it all that time, and the organization has been in Rowan County since 1996 and has participated in this since those early years.

Brown said that their mission is ultimately to serve children, birth to five and “to be one of the first agencies that the baby gets to meet when the baby arrives is super exciting for us.”

Denise Heinke, director of outreach and development, said for her it’s “very special, you are bringing life into the world and it’s hope and optimism, and it’s very special to be part of an agency that is able to do this for families.”

Also on hand for the special event was Lorie Aldridge, board chair of Smart Start and director of marketing and sales at Trinity Oaks, who summed it up by saying “it’s new beginnings and definitely a smart start for the new baby in the new year.”