Had she arrived on her due date, Madeleine Rayome would have been quite the Christmas present for her family.

Instead, the second child of Alison and Michael Rayome of Sandy Hook stayed put for another ten days, emerging from the womb on January 4 and becoming The 2025 First Baby of Newtown.

Madeleine was born at 1:24 am Saturday at Bridgeport Hospital. At the time of her birth, she weighed 8 pounds 8 ounces and was 19½ inches long.

Her delivery was not long, however. Alison joked this week that Madeleine “was induced, so she was given an eviction notice.”

The delivery itself, was a “good, easy” one, Alison added.

The First Baby of Newtown joins big sister Renee, 3, in the Rayome household.

“She’s been looking forward to this,” Alison said of her firstborn. “She’s been helping with every little thing.”

Michael said their older daughter gave the newborn her first bottle.

Madeleine’s maternal grandparents are Sue and Rick DeNisco of Oxford, and paternal grandparents are Lisa and Joe Rayome of Louisville, Ky.

Fun fact: Madeleine’s aunt was Connecticut’s First Baby in 1995. Sarah DeNisco was born at 12:01 am January 1 of that year.

Her parents are thrilled with their daughter’s local title.

“It’s still very cool,” Alison said Tuesday afternoon, holding her newborn.

“It’s extremely cool,” Michael agreed.

Alison and Michael were in Paris a few years ago, they shared, when they began talking about having a second child.

“We were eating a madeleine cookie and we were like ‘You know, that would be a really cute name for a baby,’” she said Tuesday afternoon. “It also kind of matches our French theme with Renee.”

Madeleine’s middle name is Carmela, in honor of her late maternal great-grandmother.

The Rayomes are looking forward to both of their daughters growing up in Newtown.

“We’ve had such a good experience already in the community, and we’re excited they get to grow up here,” Alison said.

The 2025 Prize Package

As is tradition, the honorary title of First Baby of Newtown comes with a prize package filled with donations from local businesses. The 2025 prize package is as follows:

A $100 gift certificate from Art & Frame; $100 off trash service or $100 off dumpster rental from Associated Refuse Haulers; dinner for Alison and Michael from Blue Colony Diner; a $20 gift certificate to Burgerittoville; a $40 gift certificate to Byrd’s Books; a $25 gift certificate from Carminuccio’s Pizza & Subs; two tickets to the 2025 Music Series at Edmond Town Hall; a $50 gift certificate from Dodgingtown Crafts & Spirits; a $50 gift certificate from Dodgingtown Market & Deli; a $25 gift card from Fusion 25; a $25 gift certificate from Hero Barbering; a $50 gift card from HillTop Kitchen; and a $50 gift certificate from Hollandia Nurseries.

Also, a $50 gift card from My Place Pizza & Restaurant; a $50 gift card from NewSylum Brewing Co; a one-year renewal on their subscription to The Newtown Bee (the Rayomes said one of the first things they did when they moved into Newtown was look for and subscribe to their new hometown newspaper); a $100 gift card from Newtown Hardware; a $25 gift certificate from Newtown Power Equipment; a gift from Newtown Savings Bank; a $25 gift card from Nick’s Catering; a large cheese pizza from Papa Al’s Pizza Pasta Subs; a $50 gift certificate from Ricci’s Salon; a $25 gift certificate from Stony Hill Hardware; a $50 gift card from The Toy Tree; a $50 gift certificate from UK Gourmet; and a Simplicity Cordless Multi-Use Vacuum from Vacuum Mart.

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Managing Editor Shannon Hicks can be reached at shannon@thebee.com.