FRANKLIN—Sometimes being last can be a good thing.

At least that was the case for Tiffany Carr of Courtland.

Carr gave birth to the last baby of 2008 at Southampton Memorial Hospital and was showered with gifts from the local H&R Block office for having “a little tax deduction.”

Emma Lynne Carr was born at 10:17 p.m. Wednesday night, less than two hours before 2009 kicked in. She weighed in at 6 pounds, 12 ounces and was 19 inches long.

“I think it’s great,” Carr said, while looking at the polka dot bag filled with goodies, including hand sanitizer, a changing pad, rattle, rubber ducky, onesie and bib.

“All the hoopla is always over the first baby of the year,” said Linda Gavin, H&R Block’s district operations specialist, who was there to help present the baby bag to the new mother.

The first baby wasn’t left out of the festivities at SMH, however.

Dakari Coleman was born there at 7:08 a.m. on Thursday. He weighed 6 pounds, 6 ounces and was 21 ½ inches long.

His parents, Shenelle Daniels and Jevon Coleman of Emporia, were scheduled to get a gift basket full of goodies from the hospital and a celebratory dinner.

In the meantime, they were enjoying their first baby on Friday and visiting with family and friends, including grandmother, Betty Coleman of Lawrenceville.

“He’s a bundle of joy,” said Daniels’ mom, Juanita Moye. “I’m excited and so proud of her.”