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Wake Forest Baby First Born in Triangle

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The Anderson Family is taking Daniel home with them. He was the first baby born in the Triangle in 1998.
WAKE FOREST — The first baby born in the Triangle thisyear is happy and healthy with his parents.

Daniel Joseph Andrews was born just eight minutes into the New Year ata hefty eight pounds, 15 ounces. Daniel is the fourth child born to Steveand Tammie Anderson of Wake Forest.

"Dad" changed the first diaper, and says he's had a bit of practice.

Diapers are just one of hundreds of expenses that new parents have toface every day. The newest figures from the federal government show thatraising a child is more expensive than ever.

Many parents are surprised at the expense, but say they the rewards areworth the cost.

Meanwhile, Wake Medical Center delivered an unusual set of twins whohave different birthdays. Sylvia Suago gave birth to a daughter beforemidnight on December 31, 1997, and her twin brotherwas born after midnight on January 1, 1998. The girlwas delivered naturally, the boy was delivered by Ceasarean-section.Suago doesn't speak English. Further information was not available.

Doug and Mary McCaffrey have two college-age sons, but this April, Marywill give birth to a little girl. On their first shopping trip for babyitems in nearly 20 years, they've already learned their little girl willcost more to raise. Doug McCaffrey says they are planning for the extraexpense.

Mary McCaffrey says the thought of college for this baby is reallyfrightening.

Even without college, raising a child is surprisingly expensive, andnot necessarily because of all the new gadgets that new parents like tobuy. The cost of living is pushing the cost of parenthood to new heights.

In 1960, the average middle income family spent roughly $25,000 toraise a child for 17 years, so that figures does not include collegeexpenses. These days, the cost is roughly $150,000, a 600 percentincrease in just 38 years.

Still, for expecting parents like Billy and Kim Colley, thosefinancial demands are a part of the labor of love.

The typical middle-income family will spend between $8,000 and $9,000 per child this year. On the average, parents with multiple children tendto spend less per child than single-children families.

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