If you’re going to hold a New Year’s party anyway, you might as well do it in a hospital maternity ward, right?
At the least, that’s how the family members of Bernice Poalucci figured it when they heard that she had gone into labor on New Year’s Eve.
Wearing hats and carrying other New Year’s paraphernalia, the family welcomed Luke Gabriel into the world at 2:15 a.m. on New Year’s Day, not only giving the moment an extra special meaning – but the birth also made young Luke the Bayonne Community News’ First Baby of the Year contest winner. Luke will receive a number of gifts from local merchants.
This is the first child for Gabriel and Bernice Poalucci, lifelong residents of Bayonne who were married in July 2010 at St. Henry’s Church in Bayonne.
“This is our first baby, and he was due on Jan. 3.” — Bernice Poalucci
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She said she started having contractions on Friday, Dec. 30, but relatively infrequently. But by Saturday night, they were frequent enough for Gabriel to take her to St. Barnabas Hospital, where the staff told her she was likely to have a New Year’s baby – and at 2:15 a.m., Luke came into the world at 8 pounds, 10 ounces and 20 and 1/4 inches long.
Since both parents have been involved in sports at school, they have high hopes that Luke may indeed have the genes to also pursue a career in sports.
In fact, Bernice and Gabriel first played together on a Little League team when they were kids. Ten years later, Bernice saw Gabriel and went up to him and asked if he remembered her, and the rest was history, as they say.
Gabriel, an auditor for National Future Association’s New York City office, is a graduate of Marist High School in Bayonne and St. Peter’s College in Jersey City. He played several sports, including baseball, and was quarterback on his schools’ football teams. Bernice, who graduated from Bayonne High School and later New Jersey City University, played basketball for four years and is currently a special education teacher at Philip Vroom School in Bayonne.
The parents chose not to know if the child was a boy or a girl, so when Luke was born, Gabriel went out to meet the relatives with a sign saying “It’s a boy,” and currently has the front of his house decorated with similar signs.
“We had a family pool going,” Bernice said. “Gabriel went out to the sign and the family was there with New Year’s hats, champagne glasses, and were watching Dick Clark on TV.”
Luke’s doctor was Dr. Jacqueline Saitta, although the delivering doctor was Dr. Romano.
Luke’s paternal grandparents are Frank and Judy Poalucci, and his maternal grandparents are Peter and Bernice Amadeo.
Babies born on Jan. 1 are said to be lucky throughout their lives. This year’s first Bayonne baby will be receiving prizes from local merchants.
What they’ve won
To qualify as being named the first baby, the parents must have resided in Bayonne for more than a year. But the baby can be born outside of the city.
The couple will receive a variety of prizes pledged by local merchants. These include:
• A $50 gift certificate from Aaron’s Gold
• A $100 American Express gift check from Bayonne Community Bank
• One dozen roses from Sacalis Florist
• A $100 gift certificate from Bayonne Town Center
• A $25 gift certificate from European Day Spa
• A $25 gift certificate from Triangle TV Service & Sales
• A gift basket with oral hygiene products plus a coupon for his first visit to Dr. David Gleaner Family Dentistry