First N.J. Baby of 2010 Has Summit Roots

When Summit High School Class of 1993 graduate Nick Walsh's wife Karen went into labor, the last thing on his mind was setting a record. But Walsh's newborn daughter Amelia Kay Walsh is reportedly the first baby born in New Jersey in 2010.

Molly, as her parents call her, was born at Morristown Memorial Hospital at 12:01 a.m. clocking in at 7 pounds, 2 ounces, and 20 inches.

While Karen had a Dec. 31 due date, Walsh says the couple never planned on having the first baby of the new year.

Walsh works out of the country and the family lives mostly in the Caribbean. As a result, around 8 a.m. Dec. 31, Karen was induced so the couple could ensure Nick was in the country for the birth.

Fifteen hours later, in between pushing and watching the ball drop in Times Square on TV, Karen gave birth to baby Molly.

"It was pretty cool," Nick Walsh said of having the first baby in the state. "We weren't really thinking about it. We were just happy she was healthy."

Karen and Molly are doing well, Nick reports.

But Molly's connection to Summit doesn't stop with her dad, born at Overlook Hospital himself. Nick's mother Sharon still lives in the home Nick grew up in on Mountain Avenue.

While Nick and his wife don't live in Summit today, he says there are many aspects of his childhood he hopes he can pass on to his daughter.

"Summit was kind of an idyllic community," he said. "We were able go out on our own and feel safe. Parents would let us ride our bikes around and there were a lot of neat places to go hang out."