Town’s First Baby Of 2011—

Introducing Newtown’s Newest Citizen

By Nancy K. Crevier

Christine and Konrad Miller of Sandy Hook were surprised and pleased to find that they are the winners of the 2011 Newtown Bee First Baby Contest. Their son, Kenneth Konrad Miller, was born Monday, January 10, at 9:27 pm, at Danbury Hospital. Attending the birth of the 7-pound, 14-ounce little boy was Dr Daniel Goldstein of Candlewood Center for Women’s Health.

“I had contractions all day on December 30, and thought that was it, but then they stopped. The next day, I saw the contest advertised in The Bee,” said Ms Miller, “but I really thought by the time he was actually born that someone else would have called. I was so surprised when I read that the contest was still going on, so I did call in.”

At 44 years of age, Ms Miller is considered an “older mother” and her pregnancy was carefully monitored, said the mother of three other children. Two of her children from a previous marriage, Samantha and Spencer Williams, are already young adults. Following the death of her first husband, she remarried. She and Konrad Miller have another son, Karl, who is 7 years old.

“After I had been in to the office with contractions on the 30th, the doctor really didn’t expect to see me back the next week,” laughed Ms Miller. But because they did not want to see her go past her due date of January 13, her doctors alerted her on January 6 that they would schedule her to be induced before then.

“They said it could be anytime, and on the tenth, we got a call at 5 am to go in, and we had to go,” she said. Even after being induced though, Kenneth wanted to linger in the comfort of his own “womb.”

“It was taking so long that we sent everyone home,” Ms Miller said, including her daughter, who had attended Karl’s birth, and her best friend, who had been with her for every birth. “Of course, that’s when everything happened. We were making phone calls to tell them to come back, but it was too late,” she said.

By Tuesday, the Millers had hoped to head home, but because Kenneth was slightly jaundiced, the hospital suggested she stay put, in case the pending storm prevented them from getting back if they really needed to do so. Her husband returned home to get going on the snow shoveling as the storm descended on the night of January 11, leaving just Ms Miller and Kenneth to weather the weather at the hospital.

“It was actually very nice and quiet, even though I wanted to be home. And the food was so good! I’m a vegetarian and I had so many choices, so it wasn’t so bad to be stuck another day,” she said.

Settled back into her home, she said it was very nice the first few days to have her husband and three older children there to help and to bond as a family. “With my kids being older, I really appreciated every moment of this pregnancy. I know how fast it goes, so I appreciate all my time with this baby.”

Her oldest children have now returned to school and their lives away from home, said Ms Miller, so they are very pleased to be the recipients of the First Baby prizes. “The prizes sound awesome. It’s all really nice. Having a new baby in the house, and with my husband back to work, the dinners and lunches especially will make my time off even nicer,” she said. “I still can’t believe we won.”

The Miller family will receive the following gifts from local businesses and organizations: A baby gift bag from Toy Journey, Southbury; free cleaning of baby’s christening gown, Queen Street Cleaners; gift certificates to Sandy Hook Wine & Liquor, Nick’s in Danbury, Ace Hardware of Newtown, Papa Al’s, Down On Main Street, The Meat House, Tambascio’s Italian Grill, Pacific Asian Bistro, My Place Restaurant, Hollandia Gift and Garden, Drug Center Pharmacy, Your Healthy Pet, UK Gourmet, Great Finds & Designs, Newtown Hardware, and Newtown Florist; dinner for two at Blue Colony Diner, and at 100 Church Hill Restaurant; free cuts to Mom and Dad from Robert Anthony’s Salon, Naser’s Salon, and from Ricci’s Salon & Hero for Men; lunch for two at The Villa Restaurant; one week free tuition toward enrollment at The Learning Experience; handmade baby hat and booties from Sal e Pepe Contemporary Italian Bistro; cookie platter from Andrea’s Pastry Shop; dinner for parents from Franco’s Pizza & Pasta; a bottle of champagne from World of Wine and Spirits, and from Stop & Save; free oil change, filter, and lubrication from Newtown Car Care Center; free oil and filter change at Berkshire Motors; bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne from Cork-n-Barrel; ten movie passes from Edmond Town Hall Theatre; $100 savings bond from People’s United Bank; a wiggling worm grasping toy from World of Education; manicure/pedicure from Avance Esthetiques; $50 savings account from Newtown Savings Bank; a three-foot hero sandwich from Dodgingtown Market; lunch for two from Katherine’s Kitchen; lunch for parents from Newtown Deli & Catering; a large cheese pizza from Newtown Pizza Palace; a gas card from Dodgingtown Garage; haircut for Mom from Kerry at Salon Michele; an oil change from NJK Sunoco; and one free classified ad and a year’s subscription to The Newtown Bee.