COEUR d’ALENE — As the world celebrated the dawning of a new year, a special North Idaho family also celebrated the birth of their daughter.

John and Tullaya Akins of Sandpoint proudly announced that Mika Akins entered the world at 12:15 a.m. on New Year’s Day, making her Coeur d’Alene’s first official baby of 2016. She was born at Kootenai Health.

“We heard the celebration outside and that was right when Tullaya decided she needed to push,” John said Friday afternoon. “We were kind of giggling about it afterward. It was right at the ball drop when little Mika started coming out.”

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