Local families ring in the new year with newborns

(WAND) - A few lucky parents welcomed New Year's Day babies across Central Illinois on Thursday.

At Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Arabella was born at 8:46 this morning. Her parents, Daniel and Aleesha of Rantoul, said she came at a healthy seven pounds, nine ounces.

Arabella is the couple's first child.

In Decatur, hospital staff helped welcome a couple of New Year's babies.

Athena came in at just under seven pounds in the early morning hours. Her mother shared that she had to be induced into labor, but is happy to have her little girl.

"This is my second one and my first girl too, so it feels amazing. But I never expected to have a New Year baby like this," she said.

In Springfield HSHS St. John’s Hospital welcomed Theodore Barker as the first baby born at the hospital and in Springfield in 2026 to Amy Dhabalt-Barker and Matt Barker of Springfield.

He was born at 12:41 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, weighing 8 pounds, 6 ounces and measuring 20 inches long.

HSHS St. John’s Women and Infants Center staff presented Theodore’s parents with a basket of gifts.

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