It’s a girl.
Clarendon County’s first baby of 2012 was born at 7:01 a.m. Jan. 1 at Clarendon Memorial Hospital.
The tiny pink bundle of joy, Alaina Barnikow, is the daughter of Airman Branden and Nichole Barnikow of Shaw Air Force Base. Weighing in at a petite 6 pounds, 6.8 ounces and 19 inches in length, Alaina is the Barnikow’s first child.
A properly decorated nursery is awaiting the baby who should arrive home on Tuesday.
“There’s a lot of pink stuff in there,” Nichole said Monday morning. “We knew it was going to be a girl.”
When asked if the little girl had her father wrapped around her tiny pinkie yet, he responded, “Almost.”
Alaina’s name is derived from Branden’s father’s middle name, Alan.
Baby girls aren’t new to the family.
Nichole’s two sisters had baby girls 15 days apart three and a half years ago.
Alaina took awhile in getting here.
Nichole went into labor late Friday and the little one didn’t arrive until Sunday morning.
Granddad, Marcel Dube Jr., was a regular attendee, walking the hallways until his granddaughter arrived.
He’s no stranger to little girls.
“I have three daughters,” he said, “and now, three granddaughters. They let me have my way. I don’t have to fight them off to watch the ball games.”
Generations at Clarendon Memorial Hospital presented the family with a huge bag of goodies including a case of newborn diapers, wipes, wash clothes, burp pads, shampoo, bubble bath and a beautiful yellow blanket with crocheted edges.
There may be one slight problem.
Nichole wants Alaina to be a Red Sox fan, while granddad is a die-hard Yankee fan. But for Monday, everyone agreed. Alaina was going to be pulling for the Gamecocks against the Huskers.
