First baby born at Mayo Clinic in 2022

(ABC 6 NEWS) – One family in Rochester rang in the new year in a very special way. In the early morning of Jan. 1, Ethan and Haley Heinzen welcomed a new member to their family. Little Elizabeth Heinzen was born at 3:41 in the morning and holds the title of Mayo Clinic’s first baby of the year.

Originally due on Jan. 6, Elizabeth decided she wanted to come early and join the festivities. She’s baby sister to the Heinzen’s other daughter, two-year-old Sarah. The young one is very excited to have a new playmate.

"She wouldn’t stop talking about how she was going to be a big sister. So I think she is very excited. She was super excited when we came home today to meet her," father Ethan Heinzen said.

Ethan and Haley moved to Rochester in 2015 — where they met at a local church. They’re overjoyed to expand their family. Now they are getting ready for Elizabeth’s baptism — where she’ll meet her grandparents and extended family. The parents are relieved the birth went well and are excited for the new year to come.

"We’re just really excited that she was born. And that everything went well and labor was safe. You could take that as a good tiding for the rest of the year maybe," Heinzen said.

To Ethan, it feels significant that Elizabeth is the first baby born at Mayo Clinic this year. However, he’s mostly just happy to have his family together at home.

"It’s a whole jumble of emotions I guess. We’re happy to help contribute to joyful news," he said.

Elizabeth was named after Saint Elizabeth — a woman known for her charity.