By Pat Loeb

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The year’s first new Philadelphian made her appearance just after midnight at Pennsylvania Hospital, weighing in at six pounds, nine ounces. And her arrival so early in the New Year surprised even her parents.

John and Joly Soto-Hojnowski had planned a real Philadelphia New Year’s — fireworks on the Delaware at midnight and the Mummer’s parade in the morning.

“That obviously didn’t work. We got our own little set of fireworks here in the hospital,” Joly said.

Joly, who is 25, hadn’t expected to deliver for at least another week. In fact, she thought the sharp abdominal pains might be food poisoning and didn’t go to the hospital until almost midnight. Then things happened very fast.

Jolina was born at 12:23 a.m. Much later, a midwife noted she was likely the city’s first New Year’s baby. John says that’s just a bonus.

“It’s definitely — when she gets older — something for the scrapbook. This is something she’ll be able to look back at and hopefully, it’ll motivate her to be a star,” he said.