A pair of New Year’s Day gifts

Tim Willert

NORTHEAST GLENDALE -- There were smiles all around Tuesday on the

second floor of the maternity ward at Glendale Adventist Medical Center.

In one room, 22-year-old Elvira Vasquez cradled a new baby girl, born

at 7:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day. The unnamed baby, Glendale’s first born

of 2002, weighed in at 6 pounds, 15 ounces.

“It feels great,” said Vasquez of Glassell Park, flanked by the baby’s

20-year-old father, Roberto Vella. “I’m thinking of naming her Vickie or

Daisy, I haven’t decided yet.

The baby -- Vasquez’s third -- was the first for Vella.

“I’m very, very happy,” Vella said through an interpreter.

In the next room, Pasadena residents Damon Fleischman and his wife,

Lynette Lee, were celebrating the arrival of Nathaniel Lee-Fleischman.

The 7-pound, 15-ounce boy entered the world at 7:59 a.m. Tuesday,

hospital publicist Alicia Gonzalez said.

“Gosh, it was painful,” said Lee, 31. “But afterward there was this

big sense of relief and calm.”

Although, Lee’s baby was two days overdue, Fleischman made plans to go

to the Rose Parade with the couple’s 5-year-old daughter.

But Lee’s water broke about 4:45 a.m. and the parade plans were

canceled, which was OK with Fleischman.

“I was so focused on supporting her I couldn’t think about much else,”

he said.

But Fleischman was reminded of the parade when Nathaniel was

delivered.

“The minute he came out the stealth bomber flew over,” he said,

referring to the B-2 bomber that flew by the hospital on its way to the

parade in Pasadena.

While Glendale Adventist laid claim to having the first two babies

born in Glendale in 2002, Glendale Memorial Hospital finished a close

second.

Rudy Padilla was born at 8:16 a.m. Tuesday to Mr. and Mrs. Jamie

Padilla of Glendale, hospital publicist Lisa Barry said.

Baby Rudy weighed in at 7 pounds, 3 ounces and measured 20 inches in

length, Barry said.