Mazel Tov to crown heights sisters

Rivka Keller’s parents were ready to leave Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze after she gave birth to the last baby born on Staten Island in 2005.

That’s when Mrs. Keller’s sister, Devora Palace, spoke up from her bed in the shared hospital room.

“I told them, ‘Wait! Don’t leave!'” Mrs. Palace said.

Several hours later, Mrs. Palace bore the first baby of the new year on Staten Island.

Her daughter, Chana, who weighed in at 8 pounds, 8 ounces and 21 inches long, was born at 12:41 a.m. on Sunday.

“I saved them a trip,” the new mother joked inside the maternity ward about her parents.

The sisters from Crown Heights in Brooklyn smiled and laughed with their newborns, celebrating both the births and the shared distinctions based on good timing.

A few hours later, Antoinise Saintil of West Brighton gave birth to the first Staten Islander of 2006.

Andrew Stone, a 20-inch, 6-pound.13-ounce boy with a surprisingly full head of curly black hair, was born at 2:48 a.m. in St. Vincent’s Hospital, West Brighton.

“It’s amazing,” Ms. Saintil said as she cradled her son. “I was happy about having a boy so my daughter will have a little brother. She can’t wait for him to come home.”

For the birth, the 22-year-old mother received a gift basket from Babies “R” Us.

Mrs. Palace also got a gift basket from Babies “R” Us for giving birth to the first baby of the new year.

“It’s very exciting.” said the 27-year-old mother, a Lubavitch Jew who was born and raised in Crown Heights.

She named Chana after the legendary Jewish woman whose seven sons refused to give in to the demands of the Greek King Antiochus and consequently died.

She chose the name because her daughter was born during Chanukah, the Jewish holiday that celebrates dedication to Judaism.

The mother said her husband teasingly rushed to have the first baby on the Island — a big deal for the family and the source of a light-hearted rivalry between Staten Island University Hospital and St. Vincent’s Hospital.

“My husband came in at 11:30 and he was like, ‘You have half an hour!'” said Mrs. Palace, who has three other children, ages 5, 4 and 2, and had a natural birth. “I thought for sure someone else would have it.”

Mrs. Palace, who hopes to have more children, would not disclose the number of her siblings because, she said, “There’s a blessing on things not counted. Money and children.”