Twins born minutes apart in two years

New parents Christy and Marlin Alston told WFMY that son Ashton Parker was born at 11:58 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2010 at Duke Hospital. His twin sister, Alisha Rae, came two minutes later – right at midnight as 2011 began.

The twins' aunt, Keona Alston, said that their mother was 33 weeks along in her pregnancy and didn't expect to give birth so soon.

Alisha weighed 3 pounds 10 ounces, and Ashton weighed 3 pounds 7 ounces, hospital spokeswoman Mary Jane Gore said.

The first baby at WakeMed in Raleigh came soon after, said spokeswoman Keicha Berzins.

Karrie Walker gave birth to a son, Silas Valdez Walker, at 12:39 a.m. Silas weighed 7 pounds 14 ounces.

Silas is Karrie and Joseph Walker's first child.

"It was actually a fairly long labor. We were pretty sure he would have been on the 31st," said Joseph Walker. "Then, at the last minute, he took a different direction, just barely after the year."

The couple is originally from New York, but moved to the Triangle three years ago. His parents told WRAL News that Silas will be raised a Carolina fan.

Rex Hospital in Raleigh also celebrated its first delivery of the new year: a boy born at 2:47 a.m.

Lucas Enchang Tang became the first baby born at Rex Healthcare Women's Center in 2011. He is the son of Zhou Zhang and Youhua Tang.

“Each and every birth at Rex is worthy of celebration, but not every baby can hold the title of first baby of the year born at Rex,” Susan O'Dell, director of Women's, Children's and Specialty Services, said in a statement. “It’s a privilege to welcome Lucas into the world.”