In the unofficial race to see who would be Barrhead’s New Year’s baby, Peace River-Westlock MP Arnold Viersen and his wife Melissa were the winners.
At about midnight on Monday, Jan. 9, Melissa said she started to feel the first contractions and more than five hours later, at 5:45 a.m., the couple welcomed Jillian Alexis into the world, weighing in at six pounds, 13.5 ounces.
The couple’s other children are Aliyah and Seeley.
“She came exactly on her due date,” Arnold said.
The delivery came at the perfect time while he was on Christmas break from the House of Commons. Viersen will return to Ottawa Jan. 16 when the House reconvenes.
When asked how the couple decided on the name, they said, like many couples, the Viersens had been talking about possible names for some time before Jillian’s arrival.
“After humming and hawing, we narrowed it down to two choices, Charlotte and Madeline,” Arnold said.
But the couple had to start the process over again. About two weeks before Jillian’s arrival, Arnold’s cousin had a baby and named her Charlotte, and their sister-in-law’s sister just named her girl Madeline.
So about a week ago, Melissa said they decided on the name Jillian.
As for Jillian being Barrhead’s New Year’s baby, they said it was a pleasant surprise.
“It wasn’t planned that way. It is just the way it happened,” he said. “It looks like today is a day for babies. The couple in the next room is expecting their baby today too.”