Alicia and Andrew Fairweather had no idea that their daughter would be 2015’s first baby born at Powell River General Hospital when she arrived five days into the new year.
Tauriel Octavia was born at 2:35 pm on Monday, January 5, weighing eight pounds five ounces. Alicia thought the hospital was busier and that they would have been too late for the special honour.
Though mother reports that baby was born one day before her due date, she added, “She was right on time.”
Alicia was back at home with Tauriel the next day after giving birth. “If there’s no complications, they send you home after 12 hours now,” said Andrew.
The name Tauriel comes from Peter Cameron’s film adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s book The Hobbit and is the name of an elvish princess. “We just thought it was a beautiful name,” said Alicia.
Tauriel is the couple’s third child. Brother Ronan, four, and sister Ellie, two, both welcomed their little sister. Alicia said her children are spaced almost exactly two years apart and Ronan and Ellie were exceptionally helpful during her pregnancy.
She added that Ellie carries around her baby dolls all the time now. “We made sure for Christmas she got everything she needed to take care of them,” said Alicia. “She has got a lot of practice in.”
Peak Publishing welcomes Powell River’s first baby of the year and presented the family with gifts from local businesses.
