Born at 4:20 p.m. at Jersey City Medical Center on Jan. 3, Jared Mungroo is the Bayonne Community News’ first baby of the year.
Jared weighed in at seven pounds, one ounce and was 36.5 centimeters long, and was born to Bhola and Shama Mungroo.
“We wanted a son,” said Shana during an interview last week.
The announcement of the first baby came late this year because many people were unaware of the contest. But once they became aware, several dozen people called, although Jared’s birth was considered the earliest.
“We thought we might have Christmas baby because my last baby was premature.” — Shama Mungroo
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Bhola and Shama have lived in Bayonne for about 10 years. Jared’s material grandparents, Sonia and Mickey Thurab, live in the Caribbean, and his paternal grandparents, Rachel and Sookdo Mungroo, are residents of Jersey City.
Jared comes home to two sisters, Faith, who is five years old, and Mary Jane, who is three.
“They wanted a little brother,” Shama said, describing herself as a housewife and her husband as a tractor trailer driver.
The couple met in Trinidad when Bhola returned there for a vacation. His cousin introduced them during a trip to a popular night club, where Bhola asked Shama to dance. The rest is history.
“I really wanted a son,” Bhola said.
Bhola, according to Shama, started to cry the moment he saw his new son.
Although both parents debated names prior to the birth, Shama said she liked the name Jared after seeing an advertisement for a diamond store by that name.
But there were other options, she said.
“We had thought of Kennedy and Nicholas,” she said. “We thought we might have a Christmas baby because my last baby was premature.”
If the baby had been a girl, they would have named her Sarah.
“As it turned out, the baby came after the New Year,” she said.
As a result, the Mungroos become the winner of the Bayonne Community News’ First Baby Contest for 2010.
What they won
To qualify being named the first baby, the parents must have resided in Bayonne for more than a year. But the baby can be born outside the city.
The couple will receive a variety of prizes pledged by local merchants. These include:
• A crib medal engraved with the baby’s name from Abramson’s Jewelers
• One gift basket with oral hygiene products plus a coupon for his first dental visit from Dr. David Gleaner
• A $100 gift certificate from the Bayonne Town Center
• A $25 gift certificate from European Day Spa
• A $100 gift certificate from Bayonne Town Center
• A Clinique or Estee Lauder gift set ($75 value) from Barney Stock
• A bank account for the baby with $100 from Pamrapo Savings Bank
• A $25 gift certificate from Triangle TV Service & Sales
• A $50 gift certificate from Aaron’s Gold
• Taxi ride vouchers for $25 from Archie’s Cab Company
• A $100 American Express gift check from Bayonne Community Bank
• One dozen roses from Sacalis Florist
• One free month rental on any Medela breast pump from Jerry’s Drug & Surgical