NATCHEZ — Little Sha’keia Johnson decided she wanted to be the Miss-Lou’s first baby of 2012 in a slightly dramatic, yet spiritual setting.

Sha’keia’s mother, Sharkari Johnson, was attending a 10 p.m. New Year’s Eve church service at St. Mark Baptist Church in Jonesville Saturday when she knew it was time.

Sharkari was scheduled to deliver on Tuesday, but contraction pains cut the service short for her, her mother, and her friend who sat with her in the pew.

The trio — and nearly a fourth passenger — drove from the church straight to Natchez Regional Medical Center, where Sharkari, 24, delivered her first child at 8:05 a.m on New Year’s Day.

By Sunday afternoon, Sha’keia, with a pink bow in her dark wispy hairs, was wavering between naptime and catching her first views of the world, which included a football game on TV between the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers.

“She’s been playing possum,” the new mother said as she peered at her daughter, who was wrapped in Sharkari’s arms.

Sharkari said Sha’keia’s father, Ferriday resident Harry Gibbs, rushed to the hospital when he received the call while celebrating the New Year with his family.

“He was excited,” Sharkari said.

Sharkari said she can’t yet tell who the baby looks like, but everyone agreed she was a cutie.

Sha’keia’s grandmother started crying when she got a look at her fifth grandchild, Sharkari said of her own mother.

“She said she was cute,” Sharkari said.

Sharkari said she is excited to be a new mom, and thinks her disciplinarian style will be a good mix of strict and laid back.

“I hope that (Sha’keia) grows up to be a respectable young lady, finish high school and hopefully go to college,” Sharkari said of the 6-pound, 5-ounce birthday girl.

Across U.S. 61 South, Thomas Haskell Wollerson —T.J. for short — greeted the world for the first time at Natchez Community Hospital just over an hour behind Sha’keia.

The second New Year’s baby was born at 9:11 a.m. to Elizabeth Wollerson, with her husband Tommy Sr. at her side.

Elizabeth, 21, who wasn’t due for almost two weeks, said she woke up at 4:30 a.m. Sunday with heartburn. When she went to the fridge for a glass of chocolate milk, her water broke.

“She hollered my name, and I jumped up like I had been shot,” Tommy said.

T.J., 10 pounds and two ounces, was born by an emergency cesarean section, and both he and Elizabeth were doing well and catching up on some rest by Sunday evening.

The birth came as a relief to Elizabeth, she said.

“I told my grandma (Saturday night) if he wasn’t out by the 12th we were going to evict him,” she joked.

Elizabeth said her children and stepchildren, ages 2 to 8, were excited to meet their newest baby brother.

“I love my babies,” Tommy said.

Tommy said he ribbed their obstetrician, Dr. Frank Guedon, at their last appointment, requesting that he help give them a New Year’s baby.

“Well I didn’t know it was going to be serious,” Tommy said.

“I’m tickled to get him on New Year’s.”