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First babies of 2014 arrive early for Fox Valley area moms

Rebecca Mantz started the new year with the best surprise she could have imagined.

At 10:51 a.m. Wednesday, the 32-year-old Elgin woman gave birth to her first child, a healthy baby girl she named Abigail Grace, at Sherman Hospital in Elgin.

Though she arrived earlier than scheduled, Abigail Grace came in weighing 4 pounds, 7 ounces and 17.5 inches long. She was the first baby of 2014 born at a Fox Valley hospital.

“We were planning on it being in January,” Mantz said.

Mantz said she had planned on having a quiet evening at home with her husband, Tom Leitner, the night before when her contractions started.

“We’re really blessed. We’re really happy,” she said Wednesday, adding that husband Tom also was “ecstatic” about the early surprise and ready for the sleepless nights ahead. “I’m very happy to be a first-time mom, and looking forward to motherhood.”

Kelle Lalko of Aurora also didn’t have anything exciting planned for New Year’s Eve — just a quiet dinner with her husband, Steve, and 2-year-old daughter, Emma.

“We were just going to keep it low key,” she said.

Instead, Lalko ushered in the new year at Edward Hospital in Naperville, delivering a healthy baby girl early Wednesday morning — the first baby of 2014 in DuPage County.

Lalko went into labor around 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Ella Marie Lalko arrived about three-and-a-half weeks early at 1:11 a.m. Wednesday, weighing 5.8 pounds and 18 inches long.

“It was very unexpected, but we were very excited,” said Lalko, 33. “We’re just glad that she’s here and healthy. Being our second (child), we were a little bit more calm about the whole situation and just excited that it was going to happen.”

“We just have all the family down visiting and traveling through this weather to be here,” she added.

Though she hadn’t planned it that way, Lalko said she was excited to learn Ella was the first new year baby born in DuPage County.

Erin and Jason Curtin of Crystal Lake welcomed a little girl, Maci Joyce at 12:31 a.m. at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington. The Curtins couldn’t have realized it but their first child arrived just two minutes ahead of a little boy born at 12:33 a.m. at NorthShore University HealthSystem Highland Park Hospital to become the first baby of 2014 born in Lake County.

Erin Curtin, a preschool teacher, was two days overdue. During an appointment in Crystal Lake, her doctor told her to check in and she was admitted about 1 p.m. Tuesday.

“It was a slow start but all of a sudden, she must have wanted to come out and kicked into high gear. It surprised us,” said Erin, who grew up in Palatine. Jason Curtin is a firefighter with the Wheeling fire department.

“We’re just very happy. She’s doing great,” Erin said of her 6-pound, 4-ounce daughter.

Daily Herald staff writer Mick Zawislak contributed to this report.

  Maci Curtin of Crystal Lake was the first baby born in 2014 in Lake County. She arrived at 12:31 a.m. on New Year’s Day at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, checking in at 6 pounds, 4 ounces and 20 inches long. Patrick Kunzer/pkunzer@dailyherald.com
  Erin and Jason Curtin of Crystal Lake visit with their daughter, Maci, who was born at 12:31 a.m. on New Year’s Day at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington. Maci, who checked in at 6 pounds, 4 ounces and measured 20 inches long, was the first baby born in 2014 in Lake County. Patrick Kunzer/pkunzer@dailyherald.com
  Erin and Jason Curtin of Crystal Lake visit with their daughter, Maci, who was born at 12:31 a.m. on New Year’s Day at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington. Maci, who checked in at 6 pounds, 4 ounces and measured 20 inches long, was the first baby born in 2014 in Lake County. Patrick Kunzer/pkunzer@dailyherald.com
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