KIMMIRUT/LAKE HARBOUR
Nunavut's first baby of 2015, Mosesie Mark Parr of Kimmirut, kept a family tradition alive just by being born on Jan. 1. Mosesie, born at 2:31 a.m. at Iqaluit's Qikiqtani General Hospital, shares the birthday with his birth mother, Ruthie Mingeriak's cousin Ningeorapik Kolola and Ruthie's maternal grandmother Tye Sagiaktuk.

Jawlie Mingeriak and Tirak Parr of Kimmirut hold their adopted son, Mosesie Mark Parr, born at 2:31 a.m. on New Year's Day at Qikiqtani General Hospital in Iqaluit. The baby was born to Mingeriak's sister Ruthie, and is the third in the family to be born on New Year's Day. Cousin Ningeorapik Kolola and maternal grandmother Tye Sagiaktuk share the birthday. - Casey Lessard/NNSL photo

"We thought the baby was going to come on Dec. 31," said Ruthie's brother Jawlie Mingeriak, who adopted the baby with his wife Tirak Parr. "She asked us, and we said yes right away because we love her. It was amazing when I saw him for the first time. Very touching."

"I expected the baby on his (Jawlie's) birthday, December 29," said the baby's grandmother, Lucy Mingeriak, who couldn't bear to watch her daughter's labour pains, preferring to remain at the hotel until the morning.

Kolola, who was the second in Nunavut born that year, is looking forward to sharing the day with the boy.

"It's more exciting," she said. "Everyone says Happy New Year, but then it's happy birthday!"

The adoption allows Ruthie, 24, the chance to pursue a university education, hopefully at Carleton in Ottawa. In the meantime, she has to recover from the 9 lb. 8 oz. baby's delivery.

"It's a big baby. I didn't think it was going to be that big," the first-time mother said. "It was painful, the contractions."

For her, the adoption was an easy choice.

"It wasn't really tough for me," Ruthie said. "It's good for me and for the baby. I'm still going to be part of (the baby's life). It's family, so I'm good."

Mosesie is the fourth child for both Jawlie and Tirak, who have children from previous relationships and a two-year-old daughter, Mary. Both were there when cousin and midwife Annie Manning delivered the child.

"As she (Ruthie) was going through labour, my father (who died of cancer 15 years ago) was in my mind," he said. "He really loved her, and as she was in pain, I had tears, too, thinking of my dad."