A star before she knows it:
First Texarkana-born baby of 2021 is here
TEXARKANA, Texas — Coming it at 6 pounds and 4 ounces, the first Texarkanaborn baby of 2021 is a star before she knows it, says her mother, Lizbeth Torres.
Eva Elise Sandoval arrived at 12:54 a.m. Friday at Wadley Regional Medical Center, announcing her presence to the world just after the clock struck midnight to usher in a new, more hopeful year.
Eva is the daughter of Torres and her partner Miguel Sandoval. The father suggested the name, which the new mother wasn’t expecting him to do, she admits. Together, they found the right name combination.
“He suggested a couple and I’m like, ‘I like these two together,’ and we just thought it sounded really pretty from the beginning,” Torres said Friday afternoon.
No complications arose during the middle-of-thenight birth, said the mom, although Eva Elise was two days early. Her due date was Sunday. Perhaps she was ready to be that first Texarkana baby.
“With her being my first and everything, I think she did great,” Torres said. “Everybody here at Wadley was so nice.”
Mom is relieved that Eva is here.
“I feel a lot of relief, just to finally to have her with me, just to feel at 100% again,”
Torres said. “I have been taking my precautions, and we really don’t know if this whole pandemic is going to calm down by the end of this month or not. I just always think it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
She said they’ll take precautions such as hand sanitizer and mask-wearing with anyone who comes in
contact with their newborn daughter.
Torres was working at Lansdell Family Clinic prior to having her baby, while her boyfriend works at Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. here in Texarkana.
“He’s a pretty hardcore tire builder,” said Torres, adding that since the father works night shifts at the tire plant he’ll be working the night shift at home, too.
The couple has started 2021 in a most hopeful way with a beautiful girl to cherish, a star to light the way for the coming year and beyond.
About giving birth to the first Texarkana baby for this new year of 2021, Torres said, “She’s already a star and she doesn’t even know it yet.”