Oakville's New Year's twins are `two little angels' by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff 13 | Thursday, January 7, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com They may have arrived ahead of schedule, but Oakville's first babies of 2016 are doing fine after being born at the new Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) in the early morning hours of New Year's Day. Twin sisters Sophie and Christina Gowland, the first children of Jennifer and Derek Gowland, were born at 4:28 a.m., and 4:29 a.m., weighing four pounds 10 ounces and five pounds nine ounces, respectively. Mother and babies are now resting comfortably at their Campbellville home where Jennifer and Derek are settling into their new roles as parents. "It was good. It was nice having them at the new hospital," said Derek, who is a chef at Cora restaurant in Oakville. "It's definitely a challenge with two of them. You'll just be getting them settled down and then one starts to cry and that gets the other one going. We're trying to get them into a routine." Jennifer, a server at the Pasqualino restaurant, said she is happy Sophie and Christina are Oakville's first New Year's Day babies, noting they were not scheduled to arrive until 13 days later. Following a quiet New Year's Eve at Jennifer's parents' house, Derek said he had just put his head down to sleep when his wife woke him up They are just two little angels who have come. They're our first babies and they're already special being twins... I just feel very blessed to have them. Jennifer Gowland mother Jennifer and Derek Gowland, with their twin daughters Christina and Sophie, the first babies of 2016 delivered at the new Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH). Here, Jen holds Christina while Derek holds Sophie. | photo by Justin Greaves Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) and told him her water broke. After arriving at OTMH, Jennifer went almost immediately into surgery. She said she and her doctor had determined some time ago that a cesarean section would be the safest method of birth for all concerned. "They are doing fantastic. They are super healthy, there is nothing wrong," said the firsttime mom. "I got through my surgery pretty well. We were only there for three days. I was just so happy to finally meet them. We really couldn't have planned it any better than what happened. "They are just two little angels who have come. They're our first babies and they're already special being twins...I just feel very blessed to have them," said Jennifer. Jennifer said the twins are sleeping better now that they are home and noted friends and family have been coming by to provide help and support where they can. Jennifer and Derek said the gender of their twins was not a surprise stating they found out ahead of time so they could prepare. Derek said it was cool his children are Oakville's first New Year's Day babies, but says they came pretty close to missing out on that honour. "They already had someone who was in labour in the other room," he said. "The anesthetist went into the operating room first with us before coming out and doing the epidural for them. So we literally had the babies out and the anesthetist had to go and help the other person. It is definitely cool to have the first babies in Oakville for 2016," said the proud new dad.