Lawrence Patrice Audet IV, the first baby of the New Year in the Augusta area, with his parents, Amber Audet, 30, and her husband Lawrence Audet III, 32. Baby Lawrence was born at 8 pounds and 9 ounces Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Photo courtesy of MaineGeneral

AUGUSTA — Lawrence Patrice Audet IV, the first baby of the New Year in the Augusta area, has already stolen the hearts of his family.

Baby Lawrence was born at 8 pounds and 9 ounces Sunday at 10:30 a.m. to parents Amber Audet, 30, and her husband Lawrence Audet III, 32. The baby is named after the father. Baby Lawrence is Amber’s second child and Lawrence’s first.

“I think hearing his first cries for Amber and I, we melted instantaneously,” Lawrence Audet said. “We had a lot of emotions and with the long labor, hearing that was really something.”

Lawrence was one of two babies born New Years Day at MaineGeneral.

Lawrence came in to the world via C-section two weeks early.

Amber Audet went into her routine check-up Friday and her midwife said Amber could expect a baby “this weekend.”

She was induced and on Sunday, Lawrence was born.

His big sister Aubrie, 7, is “so excited” about her new brother and met him Sunday shortly after he was born.

“She fell absolutely in love with him,” Amber, 30, said.

And within the first 24 hours of knowing baby Lawrence, Amber said she can already tell he has the potential to be stubborn and quick tempered, but that so far, he is healthy, feeding and sleeping well.

“He is such a sweet little baby,” Amber said.

The couple lives in China and met in 2018 working at Athena Health and in 2019, they were married. Before they started to date, they worked together for a “long time” and were friends. Amber grew up in Maine and Lawrence landed in Maine in 2004 from California after his father retired from the Air Force.

As for what the next year will bring for their children, the couple wishes for both Aubrie and baby Lawrence to be as “happy and healthy” as they can be.

“We really want to ensure that our children are kind and intelligent little humans,” Amber said.