High-school sweethearts welcome their New Year’s Day baby into the world

“It was a beautiful moment.”

Baby Ella was in the special care unit as her body was producing too much insulin. However, Mrs Rowe was later able to hold her little “chupa chup”, who weighed a healthy 4.27 kilograms.

“She was born on the same day as my partner’s dad’s birthday, who has passed away,” she said.

“He was very loving and always did what he could for Jesse.”

The Rowes had highs and lows in 2020, marrying on August 2 at Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens but having to say goodbye to Mrs Rowe’s late grandmother, Harpur.

“Ella was the first name we agreed on, and Harpur was for my grandma,” she said.

“We were really close with her so we wanted to include her in the name.”

The Rowes were high-school sweethearts and they began trying for a baby as soon as they were engaged in 2019.

“We found out we were pregnant and began to plan our wedding,” Mrs Rowe said. “We’ve just always wanted a baby, and the timing was right.

“We’ve got our own house and Ella’s going to be a spoilt little girl.

“The first thing we’ll do when we leave the hospital is to cuddle on the couch at home, and she can meet her little brothers – two German shepherds and a cat.”

But beating Ella into the world this year was Selina and Deng’s daughter, Soriah, who was born at Mater Mother’s Private Hospital at 12.51am.

The parents were smitten with their girl, who was born five weeks early weighing 2.52 kilograms.

The couple were surprised that Soriah was in such a hurry as she wasn’t due to make an appearance until February 2.