Darlene Henley was expecting her second child to be a very special Christmas gift, but he didn’t quite arrive on time.
“Christmas Day we were supposed to be expecting the baby, but he was a new year’s baby.”
He’s not just any new year’s baby. Born just five seconds after midnight at Peace Arch Hospital in White Rock, Henley’s new son is the first baby to be born in British Columbia in 2015.
Henley told CTV News she didn’t find out that her son was the province’s first baby of the new year until doctors told her Thursday morning.
“I was excited,” she said of the honour. “I wasn’t really expecting it.”
As of this morning, B.C.’s first baby of the year had not been named. Henley said she has some ideas, but “nothing set in gold yet.”
On average, three babies are born each day at Peace Arch Hospital -- including Darlene Henley’s 2-year-old son Jaxson in 2012 -- but this is the first time the hospital has hosted B.C.’s first baby of the year.
Waiting to welcome the 7-pound, 14-ounce newborn at the hospital were his big brother and his grandfather Randall Henley, who said it was “pretty special” to have his newest grandson be the province’s first baby of 2015.
Having two grandchildren to babysit will be a lot of work, but he said he’s looking forward to it.
“I’m already retired, so I guess my wife’s going to have to retire so that we’ve got more time to do this,” he said with a laugh.
With files from CTV Vancouver's Lisa Rossington
