Raleigh, N.C. — Caleb Kornegay spent much of his first day in the world with his eyes closed, sleeping off a New Year's Eve that had his mother in labor for nine hours.

Caleb was one of the first babies born in the New Year in the Triangle. WakeMed officials confirmed Wednesday that a girl beat him by two minutes. Layla Croad was born to parents Amber and Josh Croad at WakeMed Cary at 12:01 a.m. She weighed 8 pounds 5 ounces.

Little Caleb checked in at 12:03 a.m. He weighed 6 pounds, was 19 inches long and had so much hair that the nurses at WakeMed could mold a mohawk.

"He's just adorable and very, very, very sweet," said his mother, Anika Kornegay, of Goldsboro.

He's also very, very punctual – New Year's Day was his due date.

"I thought he was going to come early, but he shocked me and surprised me," Kornegay said with a laugh.

Sandra Langston said she coached her daughter through the delivery as midnight approached.

"I said, 'Hold on. Don't give up. We got it," Langston said. "Truly, this is a happy new year, 2013."

WakeMed gave Caleb a hat knitted by volunteers.

"This was like a miracle, a blessing that he was born on (Jan. 1)," Kornegay said, adding that she knows how she will be spending New Year's Day for years to come.

"Celebrating with Caleb. I don't think he'll have it any other way," she said.

Kornegay and her husband also have two daughters.

North Carolina's first 2013 baby was a child born in Greenville 24 seconds after midnight.