Although she was one of 2017's first babies, newborn Illa Kingi was in "no rush" to enter the world.
As others around the country were heralding in the New Year this morning, Paeroa couple Tommy Kingi and Verbena Nikora-Young were welcoming their long-awaited daughter at Hawke's Bay Hospital.
The couple had been waiting more than a week, after Ms Nikora-Young's due date of December 23, before she went into labour yesterday.
However the wait was still not over even after she was admitted to Hawke's Bay Hospital just before 9am yesterday.
It was more than 15 hours later, at 12.31am this morning, that the couple finally welcomed their daughter, Illa Mei Rose Nikora Young Kingi.
It had been "pretty hard" waiting for their first child, Mr Kingi said.
"She wasn't in a rush to come," he said. "She was just taking her time.
"We're happy to have her now, especially after that long process."
Born weighing 8 pounds (3.6kg), his daughter seemed perfectly healthy.
"She's got five fingers, five toes, and heaps of hair," Mr Kingi said.
The couple live in Paeroa, but often visit Hawke's Bay for Christmas to see Ms Nikora-Young's family.
This time they decided to stay for the New Year, because they knew their daughter was "ready to come any day now".
This meant today, the proud parents and their newborn had plenty of visitors from their Hawke's Bay family.
Illa was also the first grandchild for Ms Nikora-Young's mother, who Mr Kingi said was "very excited".
The newborn was named after Ms Nikora-Young's great aunt, who she had been quite close to. Illa's middle names - Mei and Rose - were the middle names of her mother, and her mother's best friend.
Mr Kingi said he did not think his daughter would mind having her birthday on the first day of the year, and thought it was "pretty cool" she was one of the first born in 2017.
"I think she's quite lucky."