Harrison Todd first of four babies born New Year's Day in Shasta County
Harrison Todd had something to say after being Shasta County's first baby born in 2022 — he let out a good, hearty cry.
Harrison was born at 2:15 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 1, at Mercy Medical Center in Redding. He came into the world weighing 7 pounds, 11.8 ounces and was 21 inches long, hospital officials said.
"He's pretty popular already," his father, Darin Todd said. "Everybody wants to talk about him because he was the first born this year."
His parents, Darin and Lacey Todd, said they did not plan to have their son be Shasta County's first child born in 2022. It just worked out that way.
The Todds arrived at the hospital at 12:30 p.m. Friday and Harrison was born nearly 14 hours later.
The Todd family was not alone having a baby arrive on Saturday, Jan. 1. Mercy spokesman William Hodges said there were four babies born at the hospital Saturday.
The hospital posted a photo of Harrison on its Facebook page, along with his height, weight, gender and time of arrival.
As is typical when newborns first arrive home, there will be some adjustments for everyone in the Todd household, Darin Todd said.
He will be joined at home by an older brother, 14-year-old Kyler Condit, who will be getting used to having a younger sibling.
"He (Kyler) just keeps saying he thinks it's weird because he hasn't seen the baby yet. So I think me leaving Friday at noon pregnant and then coming home with the baby. He just doesn't know what to think of it yet," Lacey Todd said Sunday.
There are also three others living at the Todd residence who are going to have to get used to a newborn around the house. They are Duke, Oliver and Asher.
Neither of them are human.
Rather than talk or walk on two legs, they wag their tail, purr and meow. Duke is an English bulldog-pit bull cross; Oliver is a tuxedo cat and Asher is a long-hair tabby cat, Darin Todd said.
And there is more than acclimation to a new child on the family agenda.
The past couple days has left the Todd family somewhat sleep deprived. So the plan for the next few days, if Harrison allows it, was to catch up on some sleep, Darin Todd said.
— Reporter Michael Chapman contributed to this story
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Harrison Todd first of four babies born New Year's Day in Shasta County
