UKIAH, CA., 1/5/26 — Baby Dezirae decided to gain fame as the first Mendocino County baby born in 2026 — even though she was due Friday, Jan. 2, and might have missed out on the honor. Parents Anna and Andrew welcomed her at 4:42 p.m. on New Year’s Day at Adventist Health Ukiah Valley’s Family Birth Center.
Anna was in the hospital on New Year’s Eve for a scheduled check-up when she began feeling contractions. “We thought it was time, but she had other plans, of course!,” she said. After a few more false alarms, Dezirae arrived well into the New Year after four hours of labor.
Weighing 7 pounds, 3 ounces, and measuring 19 inches long, Baby Dezirae was welcomed into the world by Dr. Emily Bender and Dr. Thalia Olson, alongside nurse Taylor and Dezirae’s grandmother, a retired midwife. Her arrival was especially meaningful, as she is the first girl grandchild on both sides of the family. Her family, including her big brother, is overjoyed and can’t wait to shower her with love.
The Family Birth Center team has a long-held tradition of celebrating the first baby of the year, and Dezirae was no exception.
As the first baby of the year, she was welcomed with gifts, smiles, and plenty of fanfare, including baskets filled with essentials and two handmade quilts — one lovingly stitched by a Labor & Delivery nurse and another gifted by the Grapevine Quilters Guild.
“The arrival of the New Year’s baby is always one of the most joyful times for our team,” says Tarah Goldberg, Family Birth Center director. “Every birth is special, but this one is extra special. Our team pours so much love into every detail, from the care we provide to the quilts and handmade gifts we create, so each family feels just how cherished they are.”
To learn more about birthing classes, visit http://www.adventisthealth.org/ukiah-valley/services/maternity/
Welcome to the world baby girl.