LYNNFIELD’S first baby of 2015 is Karley Kathleen Murphy. Born on February 3, she is the center of attention of her parents, Jim and Cheri and her big sister Kelsey, 2, who loves to hug her. (Maureen Doherty Photo)
By MAUREEN DOHERTY
LYNNFIELD — She may have missed being a New Year’s Day baby, a Martin Luther King Day baby and even a Groundhog Day baby, but little Karley Kathleen Murphy’s entrance into the world could not have been timed more perfectly.
That’s because her arrival on Tuesday, February 3 at 10:28 a.m. at Beverly Hospital makes her the first baby born to a Lynnfield family in the new year and also the winner of the Villager’s annual First Baby contest.
The winning babies from the first seven years of the Villager’s contest were all born between January 1 and January 5. But at just 7 lbs., 11 oz. and 20 1/4” long, little Karley seems to have decided that she isn’t going to rush through life. February 3 was her due date, after all, so showing up on time worked out just fine; she won the First Baby of 2015 title and her family will now enjoy the shower of gifts they received from generous contest sponsors in celebration of her arrival.
Karley is the second daughter born to Lynnfield natives and childhood sweethearts Jim and Cheri (Tyacke) Murphy, who both graduated from Lynnfield High School in 1999. Karley was also welcomed home by her big sister, Kelsey Jane, 2, who was very helpful to her parents, bringing a soft blanket to her sister to keep her warm and being extra gentle when she held her or kissed her during the interview.
At just 10 days old, Karley slept contentedly in her father’s arms during her press debut. When she awoke, she was very alert and took all the activity swirling around her in stride until she drifted back to sleep.
Jim and Cheri started dating when they were just 13 years old. Cheri grew up on Howard Avenue and attended the Summer Street School, LMS and LHS. Jim grew up in the Pillings Pond neighborhood and attended Our Lady of the Assumption School prior to LHS.
“She was a cheerleader on the Pop Warner football squad. That’s why I met her,” he recalled. “And being from Lynnfield, all my friends were from town and they were all at the Middle School, so after I got home from school I’d go down and hang out at the Middle School at the old basketball courts.”
Cheri is now a first-grade teacher at the A.C. Whelan Elementary School in Revere, where she has taught for six years. Jim is self-employed in the fire protection field for Kimball Jones Ltd. He mainly services commercial buildings, but the residential field is growing, he said.
After building an addition onto her parents home, the young family moved back to the hometown they love. Karley is the second grandchild of Cheri’s parents, Gary and Jane Tyacke of Howard Avenue and the third grandchild of Kathleen Murphy of Hampton, N.H., formerly of Lynnfield. The baby is also blessed to have James and Jeanne Murphy of Wakefield and Matilda Poland of Florida as great-grandparents.
The day and night before their daughter was born another huge snowstorm swept across the region. “It was definitely a snowy road getting there,” Cheri recalled about their trip to Beverly Hospital the following morning. But traveling on snowy roads was the only obstacle they faced. Everything else around Karley’s arrival went smoothly.
Cheri’s aunt, Linda Dooley, who also resides in Lynnfield, was keeping an eye on Villager’s contest as the weeks ticked by without a winner. The proud parents entered the contest just the day before the deadline in the sixth week of the contest.
“We’re so excited,” Cheri said about her family winning the 2015 contest.
Expanding winners’ list
Karley Kathleen Murphy joins this ever-expanding list of winners in the Villager’s New Baby Contest: Henry Joseph Morton, born Jan. 4, 2014 at 2:14 p.m.; Elizabeth Lee Riester, born Jan. 1, 2013 at 9:22 a.m.; Sydney Tate Weyler, born on Jan. 5, 2012 at 7:12 a.m.; Sebastian Reardon Garcia, born on Jan. 3, 2011 at 11:42 a.m.; Amelia Sophia Xavier, born on Jan. 4, 2010 at 6:49 a.m.; Mia Shawn Daley, born on Jan. 5, 2009 at 3 p.m.; and Rocco Max Scenna, born on Jan. 3, 2008 at 4:02 a.m.
Extensive prize package
The local businesses which donated several hundred dollars worth of prizes to welcome baby and pamper mom are: Photography by Corinna – free photo session and one 8×10 ($165 value); Wakefield Co-op Bank, Lynnfield Branch – $50 savings account for baby; The Savings Bank, Lynnfield branch – $25 savings account; Village Pharmacy – gift basket for baby; Baubles Fine Jewelry – $50 gift certificate for mom;
Also, The Farm Land – $50 gift certificate; Newbury North Salon – complimentary haircut for mom; Venezia Day Spa – complimentary manicure for mom; Bellino’s Restaurant – $25 gift certificate for mom; Honey Dew Donuts, Downtown Wakefield – free box of donuts for mom valued at $15; and Lynnfield Villager – one year gift subscription or extension of subscription for the parents.
