Thursday, January 4, 2007 Older Editions

Twins: One is last baby of 2006, other is first of 2007

By Brian Messenger

New Year's Eve will never be the same for Andover residents Jennifer and Scott Hoenig.

Their newborn daughter Rae Elizabeth will have the honor of celebrating her birthday just two minutes before the ball drops.

But after all the toasts and cheers, there's another birthday to contend with - that of twin brother Garin Frank.

"I'm sure that they'll both want their own birthday party," said Jennifer, 29, from her room at the New England Medical Center.

The Hoenigs welcomed Rae, the Bay State's last baby of 2006, into the world at 11:58 p.m. on Dec. 31. Garin, the Commonwealth's first child of 2007, joined her at 12 a.m. on Jan. 1. So the twins already have something to differentiate themselves by - their birth years.

"It's really something," said Hoenig of all the media attention her family's received since she gave birth. "A little overwhelming."

The twins, delivered two months early, are currently staying at the center's Natal Infant Care Unit. Rae was delivered at 1 pound, 15 ounces, while Garin weighed in at 2 pounds, 7 ounces.

"It's up and down," said Hoenig, whose due date wasn't until March. "They seem to be fighting through it."

Rae's middle name is in recognition of both Jennifer and Scott's paternal grandmothers, while Garin's middle name is in honor of Jennifer's father Frank, who died about a year ago.

Garin, an old German name, according to Hoenig, reflects the couple's shared heritage.

"It means 'warrior,'" Hoenig said. "We thought it would help him out with fighting, for all that preemies [premature babies] have to go through."

Because Scott is a teacher at Phillips Academy, the Hoenigs live on the boarding school's campus in a boys' dormitory. Along with students, Hoenig said there are also many children of staff members living on campus.

"There's so many kids at Phillips," said Hoenig. "They should have a lot of other kids to play with. It's such a safe and kind community. It's the perfect place to raise kids."