B.C.'s first baby of 2023 arrives in Abbotsford

B.C.'s New Year's baby was born just two minutes after the clock struck midnight in Abbotsford.

The provincial government announced the birth of the baby girl Sunday morning, saying she weighed in at 5 pounds and 10 ounces. Fraser Health shared a photo of the parents and their daughter Gabriella Louise V. Camayang soon after.

The couple, Thea Villanueva and Arvin Camayang, told reporters they really didn’t expect their little girl to arrive in time to be the province's first newborn of the year, but that labour progressed very quickly.

"We actually didn’t expect that she was going to come out today," said the new mom.

"It was so fast. I was just like, 'Good job me and good job baby and good job doctors and nurses as well.'"

Like all expectant parents, the couple says their baby's welfare and not the precise timing of her birth their primary concern.

"I didn't really care if she was the first or not as long as she's healthy," Villanueva said.

"But then this morning they told us that she's the first baby in B.C. and it was like, 'Wow , that's something else.'"

The newborn's grandmother says she was rooting for the baby to be first and that she hopes the honour marks one of the first of many proud moments to come.

"She is just destined to be born Jan. 1, destined to be a winner and famous. So I think that's what it is, it's her destiny," Tess Villanueva said.

"We're just really blessed that she's healthy and it's the greatest gift ever for New Year's. No grandparents could actually ask for more. To see her just being victorious and winning right now, we are really manifesting a great success for her for all her life. "

The BC Lottery Corporation placed the odds of the first baby of 2023 being born in Abbottsford at 10:1.