Homer welcomes 1st baby of 2026
Published 9:30 pm Thursday, January 8, 2026
Amanda and Aaron Burdick weren’t expecting their daughter to be celebrated as the first baby born in Homer this year. Originally due Jan. 20, River Marie Burdick caught her parents by surprise when she arrived instead on Sunday, Jan. 4 at 3:55 p.m.
The Burdicks’ first child, River weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces and was 19.5 inches long.
The Burdicks moved to Homer from Michigan about three years ago, deciding to stay after visiting friends in the area. They own and operate a local fishing charter, Still Water Charters, and Aaron recently opened Northern Summit Financial, a bookkeeping, accounting and financial analysis firm for small businesses.
According to a Jan. 7 press release from South Peninsula Hospital, where River was born, Aaron and Amanda “never imagined” they would have the first baby of the new year, between the original due date and the knowledge that 13 other women at their church were pregnant and due around the same time. The Burdicks were overwhelmed with the attention and generosity shown during their stay at SPH, and were “so impressed with the whole experience.”
“The hospital stay was amazing, the food was phenomenal and the gifts are insane,” Amanda said in the release. “The nurses and midwives were truly a dream. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience.”
As part of the honor of being the first baby of 2026, River and her parents received a generous number of gifts donated by local businesses and community members, including baby supplies and toys, household goods and gift certificates.
Family members are arriving soon from out of state to celebrate River’s arrival, the release says.
