BELLINGHAM — Jacki Reynolds was due to give birth Monday, so she’s not surprised her daughter was the year’s first baby born at St. Joseph Hospital.

But she was surprised by — and thankful for — all the gifts her daughter Jaden Makenzie Mae received from people who’ve never even met her. Area merchants, community groups and hospital employees traditionally festoon the year’s first-born with goodies.

“I thought it was just a big myth,” Reynolds said of the New Year’s baby gifts, including flowers, a cake, food baskets, diapers, gift certificates and at least one hand-knit baby cap.

Jaden Makenzie Mae was born at 4:17 a.m. Tuesday, at 7 pounds, 14 ounces. She almost shared a birthday with her grandmother, Danie Wilton, who was there for the birth.

“You and grandma can celebrate our birthdays together,” said Wilton, holding her new granddaughter.

Jacki hadn’t actually planned to give birth in the hospital. She had planned to have Jaden with the assistance of a midwife — and no pain killers. But as contractions came hard and fast early Tuesday

morning, she asked to be moved to the hospital to receive pain medication.

She thought she had been given intravenous pain drugs when she arrived at the hospital, she said. But by the time she realized she hadn’t, she said, Jaden was ready to arrive.

So, Jacki’s grandmother Diane Michel pointed out, Jacki did get to go through with her original plan.

Jacki, 17, will go home to a full house. She lives with Wilton in Maple Falls with her younger siblings, ranging in age from 4 to 12. As she raises her daughter, Jacki plans to obtain her GED. Her mom, now a department manager at Wal-Mart in Bellingham, was 19 or 20 when Jacki was born and knows the challenges of being a young mom.

Her advice? “Patience with yourself,” Wilton said.

“And enjoy it while they’re little,” Michel added, “like this.”