Local New Year’s baby took her time arriving

ROCKFORD — Stephanie King didn’t start out Saturday morning thinking that she would deliver the first baby of 2012. King’s labor was induced at 7 a.m. Saturday and shortly after midnight Sunday — when she still hadn’t delivered — staff at Rockford Memorial Hospital said her soon-to-be-born daughter still might qualify for the title. At 2:58 a.m., when Avery Suzanne King was born, it took about 40 minutes to confirm that she indeed was Rockford’s first baby of the new year. “It was just a long labor,” Stephanie said Sunday afternoon at the hospital. “We never expected to have a new Year’s baby.” Avery rested peacefully — propped up on a curved pillow — about nine hours after she was born, despite the camera flashes and media attention aimed her way. she wore a festive black shirt adorned with “happy new Year,” a gift — along with diapers and a basket full of baby goodies — from hospital staff. Big sister Addison King, 11 months, was all smiles watching the activity at the hospital. Stephanie and husband, Jared King, noted that Avery is already differentiating herself from her sister. Addison was born six weeks early and spent time at Rockford Memorial’s neonatal intensive care unit. Though Stephanie’s labor with Avery was long, there were no complications. Avery weighed in at 8 pounds, 12 ounces and was 21 inches long. Stephanie joked that Addison seemed excited about the new baby but likely doesn’t understand that life at home is going to change. she expects Addison to teach her new baby sister all sorts of antics. “She’s not quite sure if it’s a stuffed animal that’s breathing or what,” Stephanie said. “I’m not sure she equates that this is coming home with us.” Stephanie gets to leave the hospital today and return home to Winnebago. Family members had planned to visit later in the day Sunday, and Jared’s mom was in charge of telling friends and relatives about Avery’s special new Year’s honor. Mom and Dad look forward to telling Avery about her special birthday one day. “this will all find its way into a scrapbook one day,” Stephanie said. Reach staff writer Melissa Westphal at or 815-987-1341.

Local New Year’s baby took her time arriving