NORWAY – Being first is apparently a tradition in the Smith family.

Harlowe Leeann Smith was born at Stephens Memorial Hospital on New Year’s Day at 8:54 p.m. during the height of Maine’s sixth snowstorm. Harlowe is the cousin of Kylie Marie Hutchinson, who was Rumford Hospital’s New Year’s Day baby in 2005.

“I started having contractions the day before,” said mom Jessica Smith, 19, of Bethel, who escaped the driving snowstorm by arriving at the hospital at 9:30 a.m. after being up all night in labor. She was taken to the hospital by a pregnant friend who is only 11 days shy of her due date.

Delivered two weeks early by Dr. Gregory Hardy, Harlowe weighed in at five pounds, two ounces and measured 19 inches.

Less than 24 hours into her new life, Harlowe, who is named after her great-grandfather Harlowe and her grandmother Lee and great-grandmother Ann, was being showered with attention from family members, including her Aunt Fran Smith of Jefferson, N.H., who brought a present of new clothes for the little girl.

Harlowe will join a large extended family that also includes grandmother Laurie Smith and her husband Ken Grover of Bethel, her grandfather Philip Smith Jr. of Jefferson, N.H., an uncle, Ryan Smith, and cousin Samantha Smith.

As the hospital’s first baby of the year, Harlowe will be the recipient of local business gift certificates.