Contributed Photo Little Maci Berlingeri is “first” in more ways than one. She’s the first baby of 2014 born at Wayne Memorial Hospital’s New Beginnings Birthing Suites and the first child for her mom, 31-year-old Candice Milk of Hankins. With the help of board-certified Obstetrician Thomas M. O’Brien, MD, Maci entered the world at 1:49 a.m. at 6 pounds, 2.2 ounces. She joins two half siblings at home. Wayne Memorial staff presented Mom and Dad Joshua Berlingeri, 39, with a “First Baby” basket full of goodies. Pictured, from left: Dr. O’Brien; Mary Jeanne Joyal, RN; Joyce Bannon, RN; Candice Milk holding baby Maci; Joshua Berlingeri.

Eli Ruiz | Democrat The Meola family of Roscoe welcomed its third child – and the first baby born at Catskill Regional Medical Center in 2014. From left, Jason, 7, mom Amber with newborn Joshua James, Julia, 5, dad Jeff and nurse Lacie Halloran.

Baby makes five

Story by Eli Ruiz
HARRIS — January 3, 2014 — Jeff and Amber Meola met, as the couple recalled Wednesday, “through friends in and around Roscoe.”
Natives respectively of the tiny Town of Rockland hamlet, and its equally small neighbor, Downsville, the couple say they were bound to meet.
“It’s not the biggest area you know,” said 32-year-old Jeff, who works for the state’s Department of Transportation. “But the moment we met we were pretty much inseparable.”
Jeff continued his courtship of Amber for more than seven years until the couple finally married in 2009, along the way adding 7-year-old Jason and 5-year-old Julia to the fledgling family.
“It’s been kind of a relationship of milestones,” offered Amber, 30. On Wednesday morning the couple sat in room 225 of Catskill Regional Medical Center’s (CRMC) maternity ward holding yet another milestone, and CRMC’s first baby delivered for 2014, little Joshua James Meola.
Amber arrived at the hospital at 3:30 a.m. New Year’s Day, and Joshua James wouldn’t make it out into the world until three hours later at a healthy 8-pounds.
“The hospital has been wonderful to me and my family,” said Amber. “True professionals and I really couldn’t ask for a better place to have my baby.”
The proud grandparents are James and Sally Meola of Roscoe and Dennis and Beverly Watson of Downsville.