Valentine’s Day baby bears heart-shaped birthmark
Post-Tribune staff report February 15, 2012 8:48PM
Jessica Valencia and daughter Jessalynn, 3, with Julianna born February 14th at Franciscan St. Margaret-Health Hammond. Julianna was born with a heart shaped birthmark on her left leg on Valentines Day. | Provided Photo~Sun-Times Media ptmet
Updated: March 17, 2012 10:23AM
A Hammond family welcomed their second child into the world Tuesday with a little love from cupid’s arrow.
Julianna Valencia was born at 7:28 a.m. with red hair and a red, heart-shaped birthmark on her left ankle. She was 19.5 inches long and weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces.
“In 34 years as a nurse, I have never seen anything like it. Neither has anyone else on our staff,” said Elaine Gianopolus, a Franciscan St. Margaret Health-Hammond Family Birthing Center nurse.
The nurse’s feelings were echoed by Suzanne Davidson, a nurse since 1996, who is director of the St. Margaret’s medical-surgery unit and of women and children services.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before; it is very unusual,” she said.
Julianna’s mom, Jessica, was excited about her daughter’s birthday landing on Valentine’s Day.
“Just before I saw her, a nurse and my sister-in-law told me, ‘You’re not going to believe it — she has red hair and a heart on her leg’,” Jessica Valencia said.
Valencia’s mother, Lynn Burns of Valparaiso, said she was ecstatic about the birth her new granddaughter, adding, “She is just a beautiful baby. We are so happy.”
Mother-in-law Bertha Alcantar of Hammond called her son Angel’s and daughter-in-law’s new addition, “a love baby,” adding she was conceived during the couple’s honeymoon after they were married on May 27.
The couple has another daughter, Jessalynn, age 3, who spent much of her time snuggling and holding her new sister.
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