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Jackson County's Millennium Baby, Anthony Gaetano, 'a complete surprise'By Rose Hooper |
Proudly displaying Jackson County's "Millennium Baby," Anthony Phillips Gaetano, are his parents, Tammy and Mario Gaetano of Cullowhee and his big sister Stephanie, 11. Anthony was born Jan. 1 at 3:12 a.m. at Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva. |
Jackson County's millennium baby arrived at 3:12 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 1, 2000, to welcome in the new year and greet proud parents, Mario and Tammy Gaetano of Cullowhee.
Anthony Phillips Gaetano, born at Harris Regional Hospital, weighed in at 7 pounds, 8 ounces, and was 20 1/2 inches long. "When they wiped him off, he looked pretty good, quite handsome, in fact, no battle scars," said Dad Mario. "I was expecting him to cry, but he didn't. He was quiet but very alert." |
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Their daughter, Stephanie, who's been an only child for 11 years, was equally excited with the New Year arrival of a baby brother. "He's got some of Stephanie's features," said Mom Tammy, who had an easy, quick delivery.
"When we got to the hospital at 15 minutes after midnight, it turned out to be a big race. Several of the newspapers and television stations were calling all the hospitals in the area to see who was going to have the first millennium baby in Western North Carolina," Tammy said. "Then, when a lady in Transylvania delivered her baby at 1:21 a.m., they quit calling. The race was over." Even if young Anthony wasn't the first millennium baby in WNC, the labor and delivery staff at HRH was delighted he was the first at their hospital. That's because his mom works in that department at Harris Regional; in fact, she had just completed a 12-hour shift on Dec. 27. While many couples throughout the world had planned, calculated and arranged conception to have the first millennium baby, the Gaetanos didn't plan this birth at all. "It was totally unplanned, a complete surprise," said Tammy. "We had always planned on having just one child, but I think we'll keep him," Mario added in jest, calculating out loud, "I'm 44 now; I'll be an old man by the time he gets out of high school." "This is really going to be interesting," agreed Stephanie. "So far, Anthony's been really good. He woke me up during the night, but he didn't cry or keep me awake." Tammy can't get over how Anthony opens his dark blue eyes - one at a time. "He looks just like he's winking at you." While Anthony's birth was unexpected, some subliminal forces seemed to be at work. "We lived in a smaller home, up until this year when we bought this bigger house," said Mario, a music professor at Western Carolina University. "When we bought it, we had no idea Tammy was pregnant. But good thing we did 'cause now we're really going to need more room." Tammy said their friends have been very generous. "We have friends who've had children more recently than we have, and they've been saying, ŚWell, I've got so and so, do you want it?' and I say, ŚSure, bring it over.'" Stephanie gave a run down, "We've got a car seat and carrier and lots of cute clothes." Jackson's millennium baby was named Anthony after his dad's middle name and Phillips from his mom's maiden name. "We have to mention the proud grandparents," said Tammy. "They are Mr. and Mrs. Mario Anthony Gaetano Sr. of Clifton Park, N.Y., and Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Phillips of Waynesville." Another proud family member is N.L. Conard of Waynesville, Anthony's 100-year-old great-grandfather. On a visit to the family's University Heights home Monday, Conard said, "I've had to wait 100 years for a grandson!" |
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