A ‘really good start’: Families welcome first babies of 2025

Harrison Helmick and his wife Lauren were as ready as any new parents could be.

The Wheaton couple were due to welcome their first child on Dec. 31.

“We eat black-eyed peas and cabbage every year for luck and wealth, so we brought that to the hospital,” Helmick said.

They are rich in one thing: love for their son, Theodore Glenn Helmick. Their 7-pound, 1-ounce bundle of joy was born at 2:21 a.m. at Endeavor Health Elmhurst Hospital, giving little Theodore the distinction of being one of the first babies of the new year and an easy-to-remember birthday.

“I feel ready, scared … I think that's natural, but I feel like I have a lot of love for the guy, and I think that's a really good start,” Helmick said.

As far as ringing in 2025, his wife specifically requested a New Year’s hat. She has a “little New Year’s tiara,” Helmick said. The couple had their own, “just the two of us,” countdown. A few hours later, Theodore joined the party.

“It was great to get to be able to pick him up. Obviously, Mom got to hold him first, because she did all the work,” Helmick said.

Their son has already inspired a family debate. See, Helmick’s wife has red hair, “like very red hair.” And when Theodore arrived, dad thought his son’s strands looked kind of brown.

“And then every nurse in the room was like, ‘Oh no, he’s definitely a redhead. He’s definitely a redhead.’ So we just gave him a bath, and there’s kind of streaks of blonde and red and brown, and it’s all over the place … we’ll see how that kind of evolves,” Helmick said. “But he’s a cute little guy.”

Like any parent, Helmick wants his son to be happy and fulfilled.

“I hope that Theodore is able to pursue what he wants to pursue, and that we can give him every opportunity to do that,” Helmick said. “And I think that's really all you could ask for.”

At Endeavor Health Edward Hospital in Naperville, the first baby of 2025, a boy named Raiden, was born at 12:17 a.m. to Brooke Libner and her husband.

“I think that's pretty cool for him, a little unexpected for us,” the Lockport mom said. “My husband says that he's going to have a rocking birthday party for the rest of his life.”

For their New Year’s Eve festivities, they were going to just cook dinner and let their eight-year-old stay up to midnight for the first time. Contractions, however, started about dinner time.

“I think I was calmer than my husband,” said Libner, who now has three boys.

Later Wednesday morning, Raiden, who was born at 7 pounds, 11 ounces, was “very sleepy” and unaware of his status.

“He’s doing great, and I’m feeling pretty good myself,” Libner said.

So good, in fact, she was clear-eyed about her hopes and dreams for her son and his brothers. She wants them to be able to take care of themselves and be able to find and make their own family.

“And also find peace and comfort in what they do in their life,” Libner said.

Another New Year’s baby, Maria Alonso, was the first born at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital.

Parents Claudia and Fernando Alonso welcomed Maria born 9 pounds, 6 ounces at 2:21 a.m.

Nicole and Jason Sullivan are starting 2025 with a newborn. Nash Sullivan was born 8 pounds 4 ounces at 6:37 a.m. at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield. The family lives in Elburn.

Daniel Sosa, Jr. arrived at 12:42 p.m., 6 pounds 11 ounces, on New Year’s Day at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in Geneva. Daniel’s parents are Nayelly Valdez and Daniel Sosa of Aurora.

At Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Ethan Jovanni Maxinez entered the world at 12:56 a.m. Ethan is the first baby for his parents Zara Amirova and Giovanni Maxinez. He weighed 6 pounds, 9 ounces. The family is from Chicago.