Pictured are Calvin and Caleb Troyer, the first babies born at UPMC Chautauqua in 2022. Submitted Photo

UPMC Chautauqua is celebrating the birth of the first babies of 2022: twins Calvin and Caleb Troyer.

The pair were born on Saturday, Jan. 1 afternoon to parents Daniel and Rachel Troyer of Panama. Rachel Troyer said they knew they were having twins but only shared the news with a few family members.

“We knew at about eight weeks,” she said. “A lot of people didn’t know – our parents and my sister knew.”

Calvin and Caleb were born prematurely at 35 weeks, and the Troyers were surprised they were born on New Years Day. Calvin weighs four pounds and nine ounces, while Caleb weighs four pounds and 11 ounces.

The Troyers are first-time parents and were excited to get them home and settled in.

“It was a great way to ring in the New Year for us,” said Daniel Troyer. “It’s a nice start for 2022.”

Jenny Rader, UPMC Chautauqua RN, said she was there for the birth. While she has attended births on New Year’s Day, this is the first set of twins she helped birth for the New Year. Rader said the birth went well, despite it taking some time. She said twins born on New Year’s Day are not a common occurrence at the hospital.

“I’ve worked here for 13 years, and it’s the first time that we’ve seen twins on New Year’s,” she said. “It’s awesome.”

Helping to bring new life into the world, New Year or not is a fulfilling calling, Rader said. It’s always been something she was interested in, and she is thankful to be able to participate in such a wonderful process.

“It’s literally the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do,” she said. “I mean, just helping people grow into a family is the most rewarding thing for us. We love it.”

So far for the New Year, as of Monday, Rader said there have been four or five babies born. She said she believes the birth of the twins, Caleb and Calvin, is a good sign for 2022.