OLDS — The Badilla family, who had the New Year’s baby at Olds Hospital and Care Centre, has received a big gift basket from the community.
Carmen Badilla was born Jan. 1 to Erwin and Jenaida Badilla of Trochu.
On Jan. 8 at the Olds Hospital and Care Centre, the family received a gift basket full of essentials for the baby, purchased and presented by representatives of the IODE Baron Tweedsmuir chapter in Olds and the Kiwanis Club of Olds.
The IODE chapter has a tradition of welcoming newborns in this way.
Carmen Badilla, daughter of mom Jenaida and dad Erwin, came into the world at 3:58 p.m. on Jan. 1, weighing seven pounds, three ounces.
During an interview with the Albertan, Erwin was asked if the couple thought their baby – the fourth of four girls in the family – would be born on New Year’s Day.
They didn’t think so.
“We were expecting around between (Dec.) 27 and 29 because the doctor from PCN told us that,” Erwin said.
He said the family was pretty excited that Carmen was born on such a special day.
She joins three siblings, age 14, nine and six years old.
Erwin said his youngest daughter's birthday will be pretty easy to remember and pretty efficient for the family too.
“The big thing is only one celebration, one birthday celebration and one new year. It'll save us a lot,” he said jokingly.
The couple both work for Sunterra Meats in Trochu, having emigrated from the Philippines.
The three youngest of their four children have now been born in Canada. Erwin said the family enjoys living in this country.
Jenaida said the labour was “not too bad, not too painful. Just a little pain.”
Erwin said the hospital staff were very nice.
“Nothing I can say, but they were very, very helpful and using everything. Everything we needed they gave them to us,” he said.
Erwin chose the baby’s name.
"It’s because of me, because I think Carmen is a very nice name,” he said, adding it’s an ancient one. He said there’s no one in their family with that name.
“It sounds nice to me,” he said. “I think that that name is very, very unique for me.”
The family is looking forward to going home.
“My wife's blood pressure is good. We can go home already,” Erwin said.
