By Catherine O’Hara, REVIEW STAFF

Nearly a year has gone by since the winners of Flamborough Review’s 2011 First Baby Contest made their grand entrance into the world. As expecting parents prepare to welcome their bundle of joy early in the New Year, Dawson Sloboda and Amilleo Soares are gearing up for their first birthday.

Dawson, son to Tiffany McLaughlin and her husband, Dan Sloboda, was born at 9:56 p.m. on January 1, 2011.
Little brother to Tyler, who will be turning six on January 3, and two-and-a-half-year-old Chase, Dawson is a cheerful boy, who is just developing his own tiny personality.

“He’s extremely good-natured,” said Tiffany, who says she has to be on her toes most days, managing the busy Waterdown household.

Dawson has mastered the art of crawling. And although he’s less than a year old, he’s already showing signs of becoming an adventurer. “Climbing stairs is one of his huge milestones,” said Tiffany, adding that it’s a feat her youngest son accomplished when he was only nine months.

Although a gate now bars Dawson’s access to the steep incline, he still looks for opportunities to reach new heights.

And when the gate is open, “He shoots up there and he’s so proud of himself,” said Tiffany.

Curious and at times a bit mischievous, Dawson is keen on learning new things. “He wants to get into everything and check everything and go places he’s not supposed to,” laughed the Waterdown mom.

Older siblings Tyler and Chase are kind to their baby brother and always want to include Dawson in their activities.

“He sees him as a little buddy,” said Tiffany of Chase’s relationship with the Sloboda family’s youngest child. As for Tyler, she’s happy to play with Dawson but would enjoy having a little sister.

So will the family of five soon become a six-person clan? “I do have to be honest and say that there have been some discussions or thoughts,” said Tiffany, adding, “three is very busy and all that stuff, but I wouldn’t say for sure that we would close the door on (the possibility of having a fourth child).”

The thought of welcoming another bundle of joy may be a bit premature for Welby Soares and Daniela Zapodeanu, parents to Amilleo, born January 4, 2011. “But there’s definitely been some discussion about how nice it would be to make sure that Amilleo has a little brother or sister,” said Welby.

Over the course of the year, the Freelton couple has embraced their new role as first-time parents. “It’s been fantastic,” said the proud dad. “There’s been a lot less focus on the less important things in life and realizing how great it is to be parents.”

Watching Amilleo grow and develop on a daily basis is something the young family has cherished. Describing their son as a curious boy who loves to be the centre of attention, Welby and Daniela have enjoyed the opportunity to teach a keen Amilleo some new things.

“He’s just starting to pick up on his syllables,” noted Welby. And with the festive season upon us, “He’s mastering his Ho! Ho! Ho!”

Eager to be mobile, Amilleo started standing well before he began to crawl. “It’s almost like he’s learning the crawling and the walking at the same time,” said Welby.

And with his newfound skill, the Freelton couple have been faced with a new important task: childproofing their home.

Passionate about being outdoors, the first-time parents have already shared their love of nature with their son.

Whether it’s walking through the park or going for a hike, Amilleo is there, sitting comfortably in his stroller or nestled in a chest carry pack. “He’s very, very pleased to just look around and see all the colours and all the smells,” said Welby.

While Amilleo is currently the only child, he does have a loyal friend to play with. The family’s dog, Tasha, has welcomed the opportunity to love yet another person in the household.

With great tenderness, Tasha gently accepts her favourite treats from Amilleo’s tiny hand. And given the opportunity, “She’ll lick him from head to toe,” said Welby.

• • •

For entering and qualifying as the earliest in the Review’s 2011 First Baby Contest, both Flamborough families were awarded a slew of prizes donated by area businesses. The gifts, noted Welby, were generous and greatly appreciated.

With 2012 only a few days away, a new set of prizes is up for grabs. The Review encourages the mothers and/or fathers of the first two New Year’s babies living within the boundaries of Flamborough to contact the Review (905-689-2003 ext. 321) and provide written proof of the exact date and time of birth, including the name and signature of the physician or midwife, by 5 p.m. on Friday, January 6. If no entries are received by the deadline, the contest will be extended.

The prizes, including gift certificates for area businesses and restaurants, such as Flamboro Downs, Greensville Gourmet and Shopper’s Drug Mart, will be divided between both winning families and each will be featured in an upcoming issue of the newspaper.

Contest Rules

The mothers and/or fathers of the first two New Year’s  Babies must contact the Flamborough Review office (905-689-2003) and provide written proof of the exact date and time of birth, hospital and a signature with the name of physician. Parents must live within the boundaries of Flamborough. The contest will be open until January 6th (longer if necessary) at 5 p.m. Winners’ parents will be given a letter of certification by The Flamborough Review which they must present to the listed businesses in order to collect their prizes. The new families will be featured in a future edition of the Flamborough Review. Prizes will be split between the parents of the first two babies born.