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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National
Simon McCarthy

Baby Addison Grace Turnbull arrives just in time for Christmas

Photos: Jonathan Carroll

Chloe Jones and her partner Brian Turnbull of Medowie had come home to Stockton for Christmas.

Chloe has three younger siblings - the twins, Cooper and Cameron, 9, and Charlotte, 6 - who were excited to wake up to Santa's deliveries on Wednesday morning, and Chloe and Brian were looking forward to a family Christmas before their first child was born.

It was going to be close. On Christmas Eve, Chloe was only four days from her due date, but the family thought they had a little time.

Expectant grandmother, Chloe's mother Wendy, called it an early night and had all her kids in bed.

"We had just tucked them in," Wendy said on Thursday, holding her first granddaughter - baby Addison Grace Turnbull - in her arms. "Chloe would have only been there for 20 minutes."

Christmas night, and the race was on. Baby Addison was arriving in a hurry.

"It was very quick," Wendy said. "A quick trip to the hospital for mum, and me following behind. We arrived about 10.30pm and it looked like it was all going to happen about 11.50pm."

The whole family were watching the clock, wondering if Addison would arrive in time for Christmas.

Either side of midnight, Addison would be an historic arrival. Her grandmother's grandmother - Pauline Higgs of Aberglasslyn - was eagerly awaiting the arrival of her first great-great granddaughter.

Pauline turned 101 years-old in July, and had been knitting and crocheting a storm in time for the baby's arrival. When she heard Addison was on the way, she burst into tears.

"She is a very fit and healthy, vibrant lady," Wendy said. "And this had just been her whole world for the last nine months."

Addison arrived bright and alert 45 minutes after midnight.

Baby Addison Grace Turnbull was born at 12.45am Christmas Day at Maitland Hospital, coming in at 50 centimetres and weighing seven pounds, three ounces - around 3.3 kilograms in the metric scale.

And to round out the holiday joy, Wendy had made it home just in time for Santa's deliveries to the children, now a young aunt and uncles.

"They're extremely excited," Wendy said.

Addison arrived bright and alert, with no complications for mother or child. New father, Brian, said he was thinking of celebrating birthdays a little earlier.

"The story was, we were travelling around Australia with Chloe's younger brothers and sister," Wendy said. "We told Chloe and Brian there were two rules before we left. Don't have any babies while we're away, because we were planning on being away around 12 months, and don't get married.

"They phoned us when we were in Western Australia. They were having a baby. And about a week later, Brian phoned and asked permission to marry Chloe.

"We headed home very quickly," Wendy laughed.

Addison Grace Turnbull was born at 12.45am Christmas Day at Maitland Hospital, coming in at 50 centimetres and weighing seven pounds, three ounces - around 3.3 kilograms in the metric scale.

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