MEET the first babies born in Northern Ireland in 2017.
The tiny tots were delivered at maternity hospitals across the north on New Year's Day, making it a new year celebration of a very different kind for their delighted parents.
Among the first bundles of joy to arrive into the world was baby boy Ruben Bercea who was born not long after the start of 2017.
Proud mum Laura Bercea delivered the tiny tot at 12.23am at the Royal's maternity unit in Belfast.
Just 25 minutes later, another baby boy arrived at the same hospital, with Robert Samuel Richardson born at 12.48am.
It was also a new year to remember for parents Sharlene Maxwell and Jason Ayre, who welcomed the arrival of their tiny tot Mason Maxwell.
Little Mason arrived at 5.23am at the Royal and weighed 7lb 7oz.
Also celebrating the start of 2017 in a different fashion were parents Victoria and Colin Brown from Magherafelt.
Mrs Brown gave birth to baby Evelyn at the Causeway Hospital Coleraine at 5.57am with the little girl weighing 7lb 4oz.
The next bouncing baby to make a New Year's Day arrival was Odhran Terence McCann, who was born at the Royal at 5.59am weighing 7lb 7oz.
In Newry, Elaine Finnegan and Robert Dixon welcomed their first child on Sunday at Daisyhill Hospital.
Ms Finnegan was rushed to hospital on New Year's Eve at 10.30pm and baby Luke Gregory Dixon made an appearance into the world at 6.02am and weighed in at healthy 8lb 9oz.
At Antrim Area Hospital, baby David Rabhael Sige became one of the new arrivals of 2017 when he was born at 8am. Parents Roxene and Rabhael Sige, who live in Ballymena, welcomed him at 8am weighing 7.8lbs.
And at the Ulster Hospital, on the outskirts of east Belfast, Joan Graham give birth to baby Jax, who weighed 8lb 12 oz.
