Nicole Valdez and Odin Vassar pose for their first family photo with their newborn son Gatsby James Vassar. Gatsby has the distinction of being the first baby born at New Ulm Medical Center in 2025. He was born Thursday, Jan. 2. Submitted photo

NEW ULM – At 5:48 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 2, weighing in at 5 lbs. 14 oz, Gatsby James Vassar became the first baby born at New Ulm Medical Center in 2025.

Gatsby is the son of Nicole Valdez and Odin Vassar of Fairfax. He is the first child for both parents.

Valdez said she and her fiancé had not anticipated their son being the new year’s baby. Gatsby’s due date was originally Jan. 20. The did not expect him to arrive for another three weeks, but due to complication his birth date was moved up.

Valdez said she and her fiancé initially came to the New Ulm Medical Center on Thursday for a regular checkup.

“I had high blood pressure and they were concerned,” Valdez said. This led NUMC staff to decide to perform a c-section that day.

Valdez said from the time she went into the operating room to leaving leaving with her new son, about 48 minutes had passed.

“Everything went really well,” she said. Both she and Gatsby are in good health, though his early arrival was a surprise to the family.

Gatsby was named in reference to “The Great Gatsby.” Valdez said she and Vassar are big movie fans and they especially like the 2013 version of “The Great Gatsby” and were thinking of using the name for some time.