Virden Residents Celebrate Birth of First Baby of 2026

A couple from Virden, Manitoba, welcomed the first baby of 2026 in Brandon. Brielle Eva Henry was born at 1:16 a.m. on January 1, 2026, at the Brandon Regional Health Centre. Proud parents Kendra Henry and Aaron Dayton expressed their joy about the new addition to their family.

Brielle arrived weighing nearly 8 pounds 13 ounces and measuring 21 and three-quarter inches long. Her birth not only marks a personal milestone for the couple but also provides a companion for their two-year-old daughter, Chloe.

Reflecting on the experience, Henry shared, “I’m pretty happy — gives her someone to play with.” The couple had set off from their home in Virden around 9 a.m. on New Year’s Eve, managing to navigate the slippery roads that developed later that evening.

Henry also recounted the anticipation surrounding Brielle’s birth. “Everybody kept telling me to wait for midnight to have the first baby,” she said. “But I don’t have control over that; it just happened to work out that way.”

Choosing a name for their new daughter was a collaborative effort. Dayton explained, “Just kind of picked a bunch of names we liked and narrowed it down till we came to a couple that made sense.” He humorously noted that Chloe received “the obligatory hand-me-down names,” while Brielle’s name felt distinct from the outset.

As the family transitions to a household of four, Dayton acknowledged the impending changes. “It will be a lot more crazy in the house,” he remarked with a laugh. The couple plans for Chloe to visit her new sister later in the day, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the family.

In recognition of the birth, the Brandon Regional Health Centre presented the family with a gift basket that included stuffed animals, toys, a baby outfit, a book, picture frames, spoons, and a bouquet of flowers from Carolyn’s Floral Designs.

The arrival of Brielle Eva Henry not only brings joy to her family but also adds a bright note to the start of the new year in Brandon.