RUMFORD – Rumford Hospital’s first baby of the new year was born at 10:20 a.m. Monday, the son of flute makers who returned here in October from Los Angeles.
Sava Blazen Popovich, who weighed 7 pounds, 9 ounces, is the first child born to Jean and Boris Popovich, who own one of the historic brick homes in Strathglass Park in Rumford.
Sava was delivered by certified nurse midwife Daisy Goodman.
Boris Popovich moved to the United States in 1998 from his native Serbia. Jean is from Baltimore. The couple creates hand-made flutes they sell in Boston. She plays the flute and teaches yoga. He plays the flute, keyboard, guitar and several other instruments.
“Sava will have an opportunity to be a musician,” Boris said.
Sava’s first name is a common one in Serbia, Boris said, and Blazen means blissful, he added.
Jean’s parents and Boris’ mother will visit to help out the new parents sometime next week.
The family received a basketful of baby things from the hospital and floral arrangements from Davis Florist and Flowers Etc.
Rumford Hospital’s second baby of 2006 was born 10 minutes after Sava.
Natalie Desroches was born to Matthew Desroches and Rachel Dixon of Rumford at 10:30 a.m. Monday.
Her father was hoping she might be the first baby of 2006 at the hospital because he had that distinction when he was born Jan. 4, 1983.
“My mother still has the newspaper clippings,” he said. “Natalie’s my birthday present.”
Natalie, at 7 pounds, 7 ounces, will be welcomed home by brother Dylan, 3, and sister, Lindsey, 1. She was delivered by Dr. John Kroger.
Desroches works at NewPage Corp. and is a member of the Mexico Fire Department. Dixon, originally from Peru, is an accounting student at the Rumford/Mexico University Center. Family members are expected to help Dixon and Desroches with their new baby.
Hospital spokeswoman Jane Bubar said two more women were expected to give birth on Tuesday. Nursing supervisor Peg Blouin said as of 8:50 p.m. they were still waiting.
Bubar said 77 babies were born at Rumford Hospital in 2005, down from the average of about 100 each year.
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