Whiteside's first baby of 2009 arrives Jan. 2

STERLING - Devin Scott Thies is Whiteside County's first New Year's baby. Born at 1:23 a.m. Friday, the 6-pound, 5-ounce boy arrived a month ahead of schedule, giving Dixon parents Katie and Adam Thies, both 23, a hectic holiday. Katie's contractions began early Thursday, and she was taken to CGH Medical Center. For the first few hours, labor progressed easily. Then Devin got stuck in his mom's pelvis, so doctors had to perform an emergency C-section. "He should have been born on the first, but we had a little snag," Katie said. Adam stayed with Katie the entire time. "Everyone was really nice here and let me be there with her the whole way, to make sure she was OK," he said. Three weeks before Devin was born, Katie began to feel contra