Suburban families welcome new arrivals to start 2026

Families throughout the suburbs welcomed new arrivals to start 2026 Thursday.

Some debuted shortly after the clock struck midnight, while others waited a little longer to make their entrance.

Riley Nowak was among the first suburban births in 2026 arriving at 12:13 a.m. at Endeavor Health Elmhurst Hospital.

The first-born to Greg and Kaja Nowak of Bartlett, Riley weighed 8 pounds, 8 ounces was expected a day sooner but sneaked into the new year.

Initially delayed a few days, the process began when the Nowaks arrived at the hospital Tuesday, Greg said.

“We drove through the snow but we were ahead of schedule so we took our time,” he said.

With mom recovering Thursday morning, Greg said he hadn't slept in two days and felt helpless in light of Kaja's pain as the process unfolded.

“It's extremely overwhelming,” he said.

The first thought was that Riley might be born on his or his father's birthday, both a little earlier in December. Still, Greg said he didn't attribute any special significance to her being a New Year's baby.

Her name was another matter, chosen by agreement from among many that each parent brought to the table.

“It's something unique,” he said. “We're 100% Polish, so it's not a name you would hear there.”

Hospital staff gave the Nowaks a gift basket including diapers, baby clothes and a stuffed animal.

“It's rather large, too,” Riley’s dad mused. “It's very nice, it's unexpected.”

The family hopes to head home Saturday at the earliest.

Perhaps the first suburban birth was baby girl Kendall Quinn at 12:02 a.m. at Ascension Saint Alexius Women and Children's Hospital in Hoffman Estates.

Weighing 5 pounds, 5 ounces she is the daughter of Tye and Ian Buckley and little sister to Reagan. That was the extent the family wanted to share, according to a hospital spokesperson.

At Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin, Kolbie Noelle Partenheimer was born at 12:55 a.m., weighing 7 pounds, 15.7 ounces. She the daughter of Kelly Davis and Kyle Partenheimer of Crystal Lake. Kolbie has two brothers, Kannon 5, and Kameron, 11.

Suburban New Year's births appeared to slow somewhat after that.

At Endeavor Health Edward Hospital in Naperville, Saylor Mae De La Rosa-Stevenson was born at 3:34 a.m. She is 7 pounds, 3.7 ounces she is the daughter and first child of Samantha and Jared De La Rosa-Stevenson of Joliet.

And the first baby of 2026 born at Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital was Maisy Grace Messing at 4:57 a.m. She weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces and is the daughter of Olivia and Jeff Messing of Libertyville.