LANSING, Mich. — Sparrow Hospital welcomed its first baby of the new year, Birdee Clark, at 3:22 a.m.
Mom, Julia Starzec-Clark, took a deep breath reliving what the moment was like with Fox 47.
"First it was the hair. Like a lot of hair. I was like 'oh my gosh she's so pretty. She's got hair and looks so beautiful and my heart,' I was just like crying. it was very special," said Julia.
She decided on the name Birdee Clark after watching the movie "Hope Floats" as a kid.
"I didn't want to do anything too crazy, but I wanted something cute as well and just as soon as I heard it, I just knew I wanted that name," said Julia.
Dad, Jerry Clark, sat by mom's side rocking baby Birdee while she slept.
"I hope she's tough like me but looks like her mom," said Jerry.
Birdee weighs 7 pounds, 4 ounces. Julia says she only had to push for 20 minutes.
"All the nurses here had this little bet of whose patient was going to be the first so everyone was all excited that ours was. They even had these little horses they made with room numbers on them and they were moving them like every time they moved a centimeter. It was really cute," said Julia.
The parents say they know the rest of her future will be just as special as her lucky birthdate.
"I just want her to be happy with whatever she wants in life with whatever she chooses as long as she's happy and she knows we're here for her," said Jerry.
Birdee also has a 5-year-old brother whose birthday falls on New Year's Eve. Her original delivery date was set for January 7.
Birdee's parents received a car seat, teddy bear, and other gifts from the hospital.
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