Alyssa and Devonte Brown of Coupeville were the first parents of the new year to welcome a bundle of joy on Whidbey Island.

The Browns’ daughter, Ellie Shiloh Brown, was born 7:58 p.m. Jan. 1 at WhidbeyHealth Family Birthplace. She weighed six pounds, 12 ounces and was 20.5 inches long.

Because Ellie was born so late in the day, Alyssa said she was surprised to learn that her daughter was the island’s first child of the year.

The Greenbank Birth Center came close to delivering the first baby of the new year, but that child, also a girl, was born Dec. 31.

Labor was “freakishly quick,” Alyssa said, adding that it lasted about two hours.

Even though the unexpected happened — the epidural did not take its full effect — everything else went smoothly and Ellie was born without complications. She did, however, arrive a little early.

“She wasn’t due until the 8th, so it was definitely surprising,” Alyssa said.

Ellie is the couple’s first child. The Browns have been together for about two years and always knew they wanted to have children, Alyssa said.

Despite being only a few days old, little Ellie has a lot of hair. Her family is delighted to have her home, healthy and happy.

“She’s a happy little baby,” Alyssa said. “She just likes to sleep and she’s very curious.”

Ellie Shiloh Brown, born on New Year’s, is Whidbey’s newest resident. Photo by Emily Gilbert/Whidbey News-Times