Baby Alvin is NMI’s New Year baby

The Estradas of San Jose, Tinian, welcomed their newest family member, baby Alvin, last Friday. Alvin is the CNMI’s 2016 New Year baby as he was first to be born in the Commonwealth this year at 7:41am last Jan. 1. (Frauleine Villanueva-Dizon)

After 10 grueling hours of labor, the 7.4-lb healthy baby was born at 7:41am on Jan. 1, to couple Joseph and Lorielyn Estrada from San Jose, Tinian.

Despite labor pains starting around 9pm on Dec. 31, Lorielyn said they were still able to ring in the New Year with the whole family.

“We watched the fireworks around the island from here,” Lorielyn said.

The baby, the second male to be born in the family, was given the name Alvin by his older brother, Luis John.

“I like the name Alvin,” 7-year-old LJ said, who, according to his parents, was extremely excited to welcome his younger sibling to the world and have a new playmate.

According to Lorielyn, she didn’t expect to deliver the baby on the first day of the New Year.

“His due date was Jan. 3,” Lorielyn said.

“He was only 39 weeks and five days,” Joseph added.

“I knew he was going to be delivered on New Year,” grandmother Sonya chimed in.

The family said they didn’t expect to have another baby in the family but Alvin is a very welcome blessing.

“He is an unexpected blessing,” Lorielyn said.

Alvin is supposed to be the third child of the Estradas but they experienced the loss of their baby girl when she suffered umbilical cord prolapse during her birth four years ago.

As has become tradition, MarPac gave gifts to this year’s New Year baby.

The MarPac Consumer Department with Frank Mettao, Bradley Babauta, Shirley Santos, and Michelle Villacrusis surprised the Estrada family with a visit and showered baby Alvin and his mother with gifts.

MarPac gave boxes of Huggies diapers, Huggies baby wipes, a Mead Johnson bag, Enfamil formula, Kotex and a Go Green bag.

“We are thankful to MarPac,” Lorielyn said.

“Thank you very much for giving us these blessings,” Joseph added.

The family was discharged from the hospital yesterday but will be returning to Tinian next week.

Both parents work at the Tinian Dynasty & Casino as part of its food and beverage department and, although times are hard for them in terms of their company right now, Lorielyn noted that it was really good for them that they were able to save.

“Even before I was pregnant we were really saving up,” Lorielyn said.

According to Liza Anda, a nurse at the Commonwealth Health Center obstetrics unit, one more couple welcomed a new baby on Jan. 1 at around 2pm.

She also noted that there were many babies that were born on Dec. 31 compared to the New Year babies.