Courtesy Photo Pictured are dad Caleb Parker and mom Heaven Holdaway, holding daughter Briar Parker. Briar Parker was the first baby born at MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena in 2026.

ALPENA — The labor and delivery unit at MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena has rung in the new year with the first baby of 2026.

Briar Parker, a girl, was born at 9:24 a.m. on Jan. 1 to mother Heaven Holdaway and father Caleb Parker.

Holdaway said that the baby girl weighed 7.6 pounds at birth and was 21 inches long.

This is the couple’s third baby. They have a seven-year-old son and a three-year-old girl.

Holdaway said that her and Caleb Parker chose the name Briar because they both enjoyed the name.

The couple’s two children both had their own reactions to the pregnancy.

Holdaway said her son kept asking for a brother while she was pregnant, which she had to gently explain she didn’t have control over.

The couple’s three year old daughter was too young to understand what was happening, but as Holdaway’s belly grew, her daughter began putting stuffed animals in her shirt to mimic mom’s “big belly”, Holdaway said, laughing.

Holdaway and Parker decided to wait until birth to find out the baby’s gender.

“We were completely surprised with this one…it was really hard,” Holdaway said about waiting all the way through the pregnancy.

Holdaway and Parker decided that this will likely be their last child, so it is a bittersweet moment for them.

“We are soaking it up as much as we can,” she said. “This is going to be the end of our story with kids but we are excited for the next chapter.”

Holdaway said she is looking forward to all the cuddles with newborn Briar.

“I definitely love that newborn scrunchy baby that just wants to be on you all the time, I think that’s the best part,” she said.

Reagan Voetberg can be reached at 989-358-5683 or rvoetberg@TheAlpenaNews.com.