Amid the celebrations and resolutions, a family from Turtle Lake welcomed their newest member into the fold.

Mackenzie Stayton and Charles Andrus are proud parents of the first baby born in 2025 – their son, Dakota Andrus, who arrived at 12:58 a.m. on January 2, weighing 6 pounds, 14 ounces. It’s the couple’s third child.

“This is an amazing way to start a new year and chapter. I can’t wait for our daughter to see Dakota and to be able to hold him,” said Mackenzie.

The Trinity Health Family Birth Center nursing staff say OB/GYN David Billings, MD, performed the delivery. The couple mentioned that they did not expect to be the first baby born there in 2025.

Dakota and his parents received a gift basket from Trinity Health Auxiliary to celebrate Dakota being the first baby born in the new year.

The arrival of this newborn was more than just the start of a new year—it was the beginning of a new chapter for the Andrus/Stayton family, filled with hope and dreams as they embraced the joy of their growing bond.