OH BABY! FINNS
New Zealand’s first family of politics presented with preview of new song by the country’s first family of rock and roll.
SHE’S just three days old but Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and partner Clarke Gayford’s new baby has already become Kiwi rock royalty.
New Zealand music legend Neil Finn, and his son Liam had recorded the lullaby Hold Her Close, for their upcoming album Lightsleeper but decided to release it early, just for the country’s first family.
And the three have been listening to the special song in their hospital room.
The song is reported to have soft guitars and soulful lyrics: ‘‘Leave a gap in the door, to let a little light in, hold her close to your heart, in the right way. She’ll fall asleep in your arms, baby in the morning.’’
The tune on the duo’s album, is set to be released to the public in August.
The Finns thought giving the first family of New Zealand the first listen to the lullaby, was a fitting tribute for the tiny girl who has already stolen the hearts and minds of the nation.
Ardern’s chief press secretary Andrew Campbell said the couple were ‘‘thrilled’’ with the privileged early release of the song. ‘‘She’s very small, and very cute,’’ Campbell said.
This is the first time a New Zealand Prime Minister has given birth while in office, and only the second time an elected world-leader has given birth while holding office.
Ardern and Gayford’s daughter, whose name is yet to be announced, was born at 4:45pm on Thursday weighing 3.31kgs. The girl made her debut on Instagram, wrapped in a cream hat knitted by a supporter and a blanket knitted by her grandmother, and Gayford’s mother.
Jacinda’s mother, Laurell Ardern, flew up from Nelson to visit the family yesterday, and reported she’d just met up with a baby with dark hair and dark eyess and a father who was ‘‘glowing’’.
‘‘I think there might be a bit of Clarke ... she doesn’t look like Jacinda as a baby, because she’s more tiny,’’ Laurell Ardern said.
‘‘[Jacinda] didn’t look tired at all. She looked good. So I hope she gets some sleep tonight, but the baby was sleeping well, and I said to her, ‘shall I go so you can get some sleep?’ and she said she had a little nap this afternoon.
‘‘But she’s getting well looked after here. She can’t thank the nurses and that enough for looking after her, so that’s good.
Ardern’s cousin Lynn Swney was also visiting and reported the baby was ‘‘absolutely adorable’’.
Gayford’s sister has visited the couple, while Ardern’s father, Ross, is expected to spend a long weekend in Auckland with the new family next weekend.
The adoring father has not been home since he drove Ardern in in the early hours of Thursday morning. He has slept with the rest of his new family in the level 10 room, in the maternity ward at Auckland City Hospital.
The trio were expected to leave the hospital for their Sandringham home at 11am today.
The family have received well-wishes and gifts from across the world – including a large bouquet of flowers from Saudi Arabia and messages of congratulations from the great and good, including Queen Elizabeth, US pop star Pink, UK Prime Minister Theresa May, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.