At least one Vancouver Island New Year’s baby won’t have to travel far to get advice on how to cope with the celebrity status that brings.
When at 3:10 a.m. on Jan. 2, the Cowichan Valley welcomed its first baby of the year, Lowen Thornton-Clark was following a trail blazed years ago by his mother, Kristina Thornton.
“It’s surprising being that it was Jan. 2,” dad Ryan Clark said. “But it’s cool because my wife was the New Year’s baby, herself. Her birthday is Jan 1. Many years ago at Victoria General Hospital she was the New Year’s baby.”
Little Lowen weighed in at 6 pounds 5 ounces and was 50 cm (19.7 inches) long. Clark said Thornton is healing up and the family is laying low.
“It’s weird with the COVID cases spiking,” Clark explained. “Laying low seems to be the priority. We’re enjoying the time as a family; I’m off work for a bit so I’m happy to be able to spend that time with the family and divide and conquer the responsibilities. We’re really enjoying the time together.”
This is the first home birth for the proud Cowichan Bay parents, and the second baby for the family.
Brother Caius just turned four in November and is excited to be promoted to big brother.
“He’s definitely smitten,” said Clark. “Everybody is doing great.”
The couple was shocked they produced the first baby of the year in the Cowichan Valley. The attention from media, Clark said, will make Lowen famous, just like his mom was.
“It’s very cool, very unexpected,” he said. “He’s cute as a button. We’re really enjoying the cuteness and little noises of it all.”
But, as many parents know, the new addition to the family means the removal something else: sleep.
“We’re working on the sleep,” Clark said with a chuckle.
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