COVINGTON, Ga. — The first baby of the new year in Newton County arrived four days earlier than planned, which came to a surprise to the doting parents.

Born on Thursday, Jan. 2, at 8:30 a.m., Bailey Claire Marks weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces and was 19 and three-quarter inches long. Her parents, Cody and Kristen Marks of Covington, did not expect to welcome the first baby of 2020, as they planned for her arrival on Monday, Jan. 6, via C-section.

"He [Cody] mentioned 'oh, that would be kind of cool," Kristen said in regards to her thoughts on having the first baby of the new year. 

As the second of January rolled in, she thought, "Surely, someone would have a baby before us."

"It's cool," Kristen said about the experience. She went on to add the experience was "wonderful."

Bailey has one older sister, three-year-old Paisley.

"She [Paisley] has been excited for this moment," Kristen said.

Being blessed as the second daughter, Bailey will be fashioning Paisley's hand-me-downs in the future, according to her mother!