PHOENIX — When twin brothers Everett and Sawyer Shay tell the story of the night they were born, it will include an added twist: The fact they arrived in different years.
Everett was Banner Health's first Arizona baby born in 2017. He arrived at 12:01 a.m. Sunday at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in Glendale. His brother Sawyer arrived 11 minutes earlier, at 11:50 p.m., Saturday, hospital officials said, so his birth year will forever read 2016.
The twins were born to Holly and Brandon Shay of Glendale, who came to the hospital about 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Holly was 35 weeks pregnant.
Sawyer weighed in at 5 pounds, 5 ounces and Everett at 4 pounds, 8 ounces, hospital officials said.
"It was a perfect birth," Holly Shay told The Republic, while holding Sawyer, wrapped in a blue striped blanket.
"Everett might disagree but that's because he's just stubborn," added Brandon Shay, while holding Everett cuddled inside a star-patterned blanket. "He was hanging on until after midnight."
On cue, Everett cooed as his father teased.
The boys are fraternal twins, not identical. Though Sawyer is heavier, Everett is taller and was more energetic in the womb than his brother, Brandon said.
The Shays also have two daughters, ages 4 and 13.
"It's nice to have two boys ... welcome testosterone in the family," Brandon said. During the interview early Sunday, Holly said the girls hadn't seen their brothers yet, but were anxious to meet them.
On an average day at the hospital in Glendale, 16 babies are born, hospital officials said. As of 10 a.m. on Sunday, three babies, including the Shay twins, had been born there.
"What a way to say Happy New Year," Brandon Shay said, looking at his boys wrapped in blue.
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