Jack, Edwards have the first, second babies of 2011

2011 has begun with a bang for Afi Jack and her family.{{more}}

At 11am, on New Year’s Day, Jack and her husband welcomed baby Kalonji Jack, who weighed in at eight pounds, eight ounces.

Young Kalonji was the first baby to be born in 2011 at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

The young mother, who was in very high spirits, made it clear that Kalonji would be her last child, as God had blessed her with what she was hoping for – a boy.

“I have three girls already and I wanted to see how it feels to have a boy,’” Jack explained.

“It feels very good that I have the first born baby of the year,” said the mother of three girls.

Jack made national headlines last year, just prior to the December 13 general elections, when she was accused of illegal voter registration. Public Relations Officer of the New Democratic Party (NDP) Vynnette Frederick had alleged that Jack had made a false claim to be registered in East Kingstown; a charge that Jack has wholly denied.

That matter is before the court and will come up for hearing on February 4, 2011.

When asked if all the negative attention affected her, Jack replied: “It affected me a little bit, but I put the Most High first and just moved on with whatever.”

“…And look at that, I have the firstborn of the year, so that is something good to start off the year,” Jack chuckled, with a radiant smile as her bouncing baby boy wrapped his little fingers around her index finger.

Seated a bed away from Jack was Iona Edwards, who was getting ready to leave the hospital with her bouncing baby girl.

Edwards’ eight-pound, eight-ounce baby was the second child to be born at the hospital for the new year.

Edwards’ daughter, who is yet to be named, was born at 2:30 p.m. on New Year’s Day.

“I am proud that I have a healthy, bouncing baby girl and I just can’t wait to carry her home to meet the rest of the family,” the Cemetery Hill resident said.

Edwards, a cosmetologist by profession, said this would be her last trip down pregnancy lane, as she already has three girls and one boy.

With a broad grin and sporting a neat cornrow hairstyle, Edwards said she is thankful that she experienced very few difficulties throughout her pregnancy.