Annalie Mathilda Hicks made her appearance at 1:31 a.m. on Tuesday to be the first baby born in 2019 at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre.
Parents Darren Hicks and Corine Veenema, of Lacombe, arrived at the hospital at about 2 p.m. on Dec. 31. Labour began at 5:30 a.m. that morning.
“We thought she was going to come before midnight, but she held out,” Corine said.
“We’re just happy she’s healthy and excited to have met her.”
Annalie weighs six pounds, 13 ounces and is 19 inches long.
Annalie was due Jan. 1, but her mother did not expect her to arrive on time, never mind be the new year’s baby.
“You’re going to have a party every birthday,” Corine told Annalie, who was quiet and content in her mother’s arms Wednesday.
Annalie’s father said it’s nice that she will always be known as a new year’s baby.
“She’s got that forever,” Darren said.
Corine said the Red Deer maternity ward was fairly quiet the night of Dec. 31 after a busy afternoon.
“People were trying to hold out for the new year’s baby. I was more like the opposite — just come. I don’t care,” she said, laughing.
Darren said he saw a couple of car seats on the ward when he was bringing one in for Annalie, so there must have been a few babies born earlier in the week.
The couple said the nurses and staff at the hospital were fantastic, and now that Annalie is home, her brother William, who is 20 months old, has been checking in on his baby sister every time she cries, Darren said.
Soon, all the relatives will be at the door.
“There will be lots of aunties and uncles and friends coming by in the next two or three days,” Darren said.
Another central Alberta new year’s baby was born at Stettler Hospital and Care Centre. Brittany and Charles Allen welcomed their son, Bowen Keith Allen, at 7:58 a.m. on Jan. 1.
szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
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