Iqaluit (Jan 08/07) - Iqaluit can lay claim to being the home of the first Nunavut baby of the new year, and Angie Doig and Doug Borden can lay claim to being the proud parents.

Tiala Theresa Pearl Borden was the first Nunavummiuq to enter the world in 2007, arriving more or less on schedule at 1:26 p.m. Jan. 1, weighing eight pounds and 14 ounces.

Angie Doig and Doug Borden of Iqaluit share a moment with their baby girl Tiala Theresa Pearl Borden at their Apex home Jan. 2. Tiala arrived at 1:26 p.m. New Year's Day. - Chris Windeyer/NNSL photo

Little Tiala also went for her first snowmobile ride the same day, since Doig rode around on a snowmobile to help with the early contractions.

"I wasn't too surprised," Doig said after breastfeeding her new daughter.

"My Ski-Doo driving around kind of helped that. I wanted the first new year baby and it happened."

Enjoying a quiet afternoon at home with the family in Apex, doting dad Doug Borden said he was at a loss for words.

"I can't even begin to describe it," he said. "I'm speechless for the first time in a long time."

Borden admitted to a case of nerves as Doig went into labour. He said he tried to be of assistance while staying out of the way.

"He was very helpful," Doig said.

The parents initially believed Tiala was the first Baffin baby of 2007, but a nurse at Baffin Regional Hospital phoned the health centre in Rankin Inlet and found out that they hadn't yet recorded a birth.

Making the birth even more special was the presence of Borden's parents, Doug and Joanne Sparks of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, who planned a holiday trip to Iqaluit around Tiala's arrival.

"We were hoping that we'd catch her before we went back home," Joanne said.