Not only does Sharini Mudhagoui-Lopez have a particularly easy birth date to remember, 1/1/11, but also the honor of being the first baby born in Alexandria this year.

Shes a star, said Sridhar Mudhagoui, proud father of the 7-pound-5-ounce baby girl. Shes already a star, shes very famous. It was exciting. The news is wonderful.

Mudhagoui and his wife, Doralize Lopez-Aguilar, had been given New Years Eve as their due date, but didnt learn for sure until well into the first day of 2011 that their daughter, born at 1:57 a.m., was the first newborn in the city. 

I was kind of surprised She is already getting a lot of luck to the family, to me and my wife, Mudhagoui said. You feel proud and its great, but what should I say? There are no words to explain it.

On top of her title as the citys first newborn of 2011, Sharini survived what could have become a complicated birth. She was born with her umbilical cord wrapped in two knots, Mudhagoui said. Doctors told him it was miraculous the birth went so well. 

Shes described as having her fathers features and her mothers complexion. Sharini is a beacon of multiculturalism, Mudhagoui said, an American citizen born from an Indian father and Mexican mother.

The local couple has lived in Alexandria for four years, married for two of them. Mudhagoui, speaking from the hospital, said Sharini had changed his perspective on life.

[Sharini] is a sign of our love, he said. You see every day shes growing and thats a sign of your love when you have a kid.