The best Christmas present of all

Little Emmie Louise Farmer was a very special Christmas present for her proud mum and dad on Christmas Day.

Nicole Gilfillan, 20, and Ricki Farmer, 34, were enjoying the festivities on Christmas Eve at Nicole’s mother’s house – with Nicole wrapping presents for her little sister and Ricki enjoying a few beers.

But at about 11pm Nicole began her first contractions and by about midnight she was at Gilbert Bain Hospital maternity ward.

It all happended very quickly, Nicole said, and at 1.58am Emmie was born – weighing six pounds 12 ounces.

The North Road couple left the gender of their little one as a surprise and their bundle of joy came early, she was due on 29th December.

“I did have a little feeling [she might be early],” Nicole said. “You just have a joke with things like that – being born on Christmas Day.”

Ricki added: “Everything just came on all of a sudden. There were no signs.”

The pair have already had visitors and Ricki said there were tears of delight from Emmie’s grandparents .

But Emmie is surprisingly quiet despite the attention. “We hope it stays like that; she takes after me,” Ricki said.