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New Year's baby born Jan. 2 in Williams Lake

New Year's baby born Jan. 2 at Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake
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Quesnel couple Sarah and Nathan Anderson with their newborn Judah Hartley

Sarah and Nathan Anderson of Quesnel welcomed a son on Jan. 2, born at Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake.

Judah Hartley, weighing 7 pounds 5 ounces, measuring 19 inches, arrived at 3:23 p.m. making him the New Year's baby for Williams Lake.

"His name means praised and thankful," Sarah said. "We didn't know we were having a boy until he was born."

Sarah was due on Jan. 10, and while her husband Nathan thought they were having a girl, Sarah was sure he was a boy and in a baby pool guessed he'd arrive on Jan. 2.

She went into labour New Year's Eve and was assessed at the hospital in Quesnel around 2 a.m. Because she was scheduled to have the baby in Williams Lake, the couple made the drive down.

The couple had given birth to a baby boy, Jacob, in November 2011, three months premature. He only lived a day, so Sarah's pregnancy was considered high risk this time around.

As Nathan cuddled Judah, Sarah said, "he's a younger brother for Jacob."

Judah's middle name, Hartley, is also Nathan's middle name and his father's middle name. It was his maternal grandmother's maiden name, Sarah explained.

Nathan was born and raised in Quesnel. Sarah moved there when she was five years old. He's an electrial apprentice and she is a student support worker all through the school district.

As the couple took turns holding their son, they both commented how they've hardly heard him cry yet.

"He was very alert the moment he was born, and was looking all around," Nathan said.

The Andersons hope to head home to Quesnel by the weekend, and have already had some visitors from Quesnel at the hospital.

Judah's room is ready and waiting — all decorated with Winnie-the-Pooh.



Monica Lamb-Yorski

About the Author: Monica Lamb-Yorski

A B.C. gal, I was born in Alert Bay, raised in Nelson, graduated from the University of Winnipeg, and wrote my first-ever article for the Prince Rupert Daily News.
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