Baby Callen is enjoying life, as reign nears end

by Peter Jakey–Managing Editor
The Presque Isle County Advance’s New Year’s Baby 2016 has turned into a really happy kid during the first 363 days of his young life.
Callen Christopher Kowalski, the first child of Chris and Angie Kowalski, was brought into the world eight hours and 51 minutes into 2016 and was the official winner in an annual county contest that goes back decades.
While he’ll forever carry the New Year’s Baby moniker, Callen’s reign will soon come to an end with the start of a new contest.
It probably won’t bother Callen in the least, because the happy-go-lucky tyke does not have a care in the world.
“He is generally in a good mood and very curious,” said Chris.
Angie added that her son loves playing with the basketball and football he received for Christmas.
“He plays catch really well with his father,” said Angie.

THE ADVANCE’S 2016 New Year’s Baby, Callen Christopher Kowalski, will celebrate his first birthday day Sunday. The 2017 contest begins at the stroke of midnight with many gifts being offered by businesses from across the county. (Photo by Peter Jakey)
THE ADVANCE’S 2016 New Year’s Baby, Callen Christopher Kowalski, will celebrate his first birthday day Sunday. The 2017 contest begins at the stroke of midnight with many gifts being offered by businesses from across the county. (Photo by Peter Jakey)

“He’s all boy,” Dad added.
“And he’s a very busy boy,” said Angie.
When Callen crawls, he put his head down and zips around the room.
The next stage is walking and that is going well, too, with his first birthday only days away. He took five steps on Christmas Eve.
“He has not started running yet,” joked Angie.
“Not yet, that’s next week, I think,” Chris added.
Callen was taking steps between Mom and Dad in the living room of their Grand Lake home and kept tipping backwards.
“He’s a little back heavy today, Ma,” Chris remarked to his wife just before catching his boy’s fall.
Chris, a University of Michigan graduate loves singing the school fight song “Hail to the Victors,” and Callen has already learned to clap along.
Why not?  It’s a song all too familiar to the youngster. As reported back in January, Callen heard the song more than a dozen times on his first day, as his father watched his alma mater play in a bowl game on New Year’s Day.
Callen’s grandparents are Mary Jo and Darl Taylor of Cheboygan; and Rosalynne and Richard Kowalski of Rogers City.
His great-grandparents are Judy and Robert Decker of Onaway; Joyce and Vance Burrows of Onaway; and Connie and the late Bruce Taylor of Hawks.
Soon the search will begin for Presque Isle County’s first baby of 2017.
It could come on the first day, like last year, or four weeks into 2017. Many fine businesses across the county have donated special gifts for the winning baby and his or her family.
The baby must born to permanent residents of the county and entries must be submitted within 48 hours to the Advance office or e-mailed to editor@piadvance.com Additional rules can be found on 8B of this week’s edition.