NATCHEZ — Lauren Nobile wasn’t expecting Ava Nobile to enter the world on New Years.

Nobile’s newborn daughter, Ava, was born at Natchez Community Hospital at approximately 12:03 a.m., Thursday, making her the first newborn baby in the area.

However, Nobile was already at the hospital when it was time for her to go into labor.

“I’m a nurse in the emergency room at Natchez Community Hospital,” Nobile said. “I was called into work at 1 p.m. and got off at 7 p.m. — I went up stairs to have her after that.”

Nobile said Ava was two weeks early from her arrival date.

“I guess she decided she wanted to come on her own,” Nobile said.

As Nobile arrived at the hospital on New Years Eve, she told her co-workers they will have to put her into labor so she can have the baby before the New Year — but this joke turned into a reality.

Nobile’s husband, Bryan Nobile, was hunting when he got the big call.

“I told (Bryan) to wait an hour so I could be sure it was time,” Nobile said. “And sure enough it was.”

Bryan made it to the hospital on time to witness the birth of his new daughter — but Nobile can’t shake the timing of her daughter’s birth.

“It was very unexpected,” Nobile said. “We live in Brookhaven and happened to be in town that day. I’m glad that I was called into work.”

Nobile said Ava experienced some breathing problems when she first arrived, but the staff of Natchez Community Hospital had everything under control.

Now, however, Nobile is looking forward to returning home with Ava and introducing the newborn to her one-year old sister, Lucy Nobile.

“I plan on taking things one day at a time,” Nobile said. “Especially since I already have a one-year old.”