It was an emotional and happy day Thursday for a Lisbon couple who welcomed their daughter — believed to be the first baby of the new year in Maine — at MaineGeneral Health’s Alfond Center for Health in Augusta.

Elliot Rebecca Fortier was all of 7 pounds and 9 ounces, and 20 inches long. Courtney Fortier, 33, gave birth to the brown-haired, blue-eyed girl at 12:53 a.m. in the hospital’s maternity ward. Her husband, Cody Fortier, also 33, was at her side, as was Susan Lufkin-Curtis, a midwife.

“She is gorgeous,” Cody, an electrical engineer, said Thursday of his daughter. “She looks very similar to her sister, she’s got her mom’s face and, I would say, her dad’s long toes.”

Courtney, a cosmetologist, described her newborn as “absolutely perfect.”

“She’s just been a dream — a little dream come true,” she said.

It is the couple’s second child. Their first daughter, Kimber, was born about 22 months ago at the same hospital. While the Fortiers could have chosen a hospital closer to their Lisbon home, they had a special reason to go with the Augusta hospital.

Cody’s sister, Cassidy Doyon, has been a registered nurse in pediatrics and maternity there for eight years and was in the delivery room for both of her nieces. There was no question where Elliot would be born, according to Courtney.

“It feels like family here,” she said.

Doyon has been a great support to the Fortiers, according to the couple.

“Courtney might say I was her support person, but Cassidy was my support person,” Cody said.

Courtney’s due date was Dec. 30, but Elliot was stubborn and made her wait, according to her mother.

“I was ready to meet her, as was her sister,” Courtney said. “She said, ‘Sis needs to come out of Mommy’s belly.’ ”

The couple arrived at the hospital about 2 p.m. Wednesday, New Year’s Eve, and by midnight, things started progressing. Just before 1 a.m., Elliot was born. The couple were delighted to learn later that Elliot was likely the first baby born in Maine in the new year.

“We genuinely thought she’d be here two weeks ago, so we were very shocked to go past her due date, let alone go into the new year,” Courtney said.

The family received a special gift basket from the maternity ward that included a warm blanket, wipes, diapers and other items.

“That was very nice,” Cody said. “She’s been snuggling in her new blankey all day.”

Hospital spokesperson Joshua Hamel, who was in the room for the couple’s interview, called the baby “beautiful.”

“It’s really emotional in here,” he said. “It’s a room full of love and it’s really nice.”

OTHER EARLY MAINE BABIES

Everly Hood, a girl, was born at 2:39 a.m. Thursday to a Pittsfield couple at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.

Everly, whose parents are Mackenzie and Austin Hood, weighed 6 pounds, 14 ounces, according to Karen Gonya, marketing and communications strategist for Northern Light.

Gonya reported a baby boy was born at 3:20 a.m. at Northern Light Mercy Hospital in Portland.

Meanwhile, Central Maine Healthcare’s Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston reported a baby boy, Amir Barow, was born at 3:35 a.m. Thursday, weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce. Barow was 20 1/2 inches long, according to a CMMC news release.  His parents are Aliza Padilla and Wiirow Barow, of Lewiston. 

“The CMMC labor and delivery team was overjoyed to welcome baby Amir with punctual timing on his due date, early this morning,” said Dr. Rebecca Brakeley, CMMC’s chief of pediatrics. “Only a small percentage of babies are born on their due date, making Amir’s arrival even more special.” 

The family was given a tote bag of newborn essentials and diapers from the maternity team. The parents and baby are recovering peacefully, according to officials. 

When a baby is born at CMMC, a chime that is heard around the hospital is played to share the good news.