The first baby of 2012 on the North Olympic Peninsula is a Sequim resident who was born in Port Angeles.
Annabelle Cynor was born at 9:19 a.m. Sunday at the Olympic Medical Center.
She weighed in at 6 pounds, 3 ounces, and arrived nearly three weeks early, according to her parents, Amanda Bridges and Joe Cynor.
The first Jefferson County baby was born at 11:36 a.m. Monday at Jefferson Healthcare hospital’s birthing center in Port Townsend.
The baby boy born to Sarah and Ari Rubenstein of Port Townsend was not yet named, his mother said Monday afternoon.
First baby arrived early
Bridges and Cynor arrived at the medical center’s birthing center at 11 p.m. Saturday, and Bridges labored through the night.
“It’s kind of exciting to be first on the first,” Bridges said.
Annabelle was due Jan. 20, but her new-year birth was no surprise, Cynor said.
“We had some idea she might arrive early,” he said.
The day was already a special date for Cynor and Bridges. Their second anniversary as a couple was on Jan. 1.
Amanda’s father, Doug Bridges of Sequim, and Cynor’s mother, Julie Larson, also of Sequim, are the proud grandparents.
Annabelle has three big brothers to welcome her home, Cynor said.
His children — Aiden, 6, Ian, 4, and Dylan, 1 — are excited to have a little sister, he said.
The family was planning to welcome Annabelle home on Monday.
“She’s going to be spoiled by everyone,” Cynor said.
Jefferson County
While the year’s first Peninsula baby was a few weeks early, the Jefferson County baby was a little late.
The Rubenstein baby was due on Dec. 30, but his mother had been expecting her child would be a bit later than that.
“I’ve been telling everyone that I would have the first baby of the new year,” she said.
Rubenstein went into labor Sunday night at about 9:30.
The baby has a big sister, Yemaya, 2, who is very excited about having a little brother, Sarah said.
Sarah’s family is from Denver, and Ari’s family is from Ottawa, Canada.
“The whole family is very excited, waiting with bated breath for the last week,” she said.
The baby was delivered by Dr. Todd Carlson, with assistance from nurse practitioner Marly Yourish and Laura King, a doula — a person who provides non-medical assistance in childbirth and to young mothers.
Another on New Year’s Day
A second baby from Sequim was also born Sunday at OMC.
Alicia Jayne Porcel was born at 8:20 p.m. to Kristina Adams and Juan Carlos Porcel of Sequim.
Alicia weighed 5 pounds, 13 ounces, and arrived 18 days early, Adams said.
“We’re hoping to go home today,” she said Monday.
Forks Community Hospital was still awaiting the West End’s first baby of the year Monday, with no women in labor.
It was erroneously reported Monday that no babies were born in Clallam County on the first day of the year because prior arrangements to get the information went awry and hospital personnel did not tell the Peninsula Daily News about the birth.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
