Winner announced: Victoria’s cutest summer baby has been crowned
The votes are in and the sweetest bub in Victoria has been unveiled. See if your tot made the short list.
Leader
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A blue-eyed bub from Mooroolbark has been crowned the cutest summer baby in Victoria.
Vera Jaye has taken out first place in the statewide competition run by the Herald Sun and Leader Community News.
After putting out the call, we were inundated with pictures of the sweetest bubs from across the state, with Vera Jaye coming out on top.
The tot won over the hearts of our voters and took out first place in the competition.
Vera’s Mum Krysten said her “delightful” daughter stole their hearts from the moment they first saw her but she didn’t expect her to win.
“Of course she’s adorable, but everyone says that about their baby. We didn’t expect her to win,” she said.
Vera, the first child of her adoring parents, was also welcomed by fur-brother Kevin and takes after her mum with gorgeous blue eyes.
“She’s cheeky, with a cheeky smile and stubborn like me,” Krysten said.
“She’s happy and loving and sweet and hilarious to be around.”
Her parents favourite memory of Vera so far is hearing her “witch cackle” for the first time.
The couple can’t wait to see who their little girl grows into.
SECOND PLACE
In second place was the adorable Alexander from Eynesbury.
Alexander’s mum Amy said the family was shocked by the news, but so proud of their newborn.
“Since Alexander’s birth we have discovered he is very vocal, happy and loves snuggling with anyone,” she said.
Alexander is the fourth edition to the Walsh family being welcomed by mum, dad Matthew, Xavier 11, Izabella 9 and Dakota 3.
Named after his grandpa, his family will never forget the moment they met the brown-haired boy on February 3 2022.
THIRD PLACE: THREE-WAY SPLIT
Coming in third position were three special bubs.
Charlotte Grace Browne-McKnKoulty, aka Little Lottie, was one of the gorgeous bubs who came in as a runner-up.
She has not had an easy start to life and is not yet home from the hospital.
Her mum, Caitlyn and dad Dylan, of Jindera, near Albury, waited patiently for seven weeks before they finally could hold Charlotte in their arms.
“When she reached seven weeks old and her father and I finally got to hold her for the first time in her life. It was a moment neither of us will ever forget,” Caitlyn said.
This bub has a rare heart condition called Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia which means the whole left half of her diaphragm did not develop which allowed her stomach, intestines, spleen and a large portion of her liver into her chest.
Her heart and lungs were pushed to the right side of her body with her left lung not developing.
She has been hooked up to a ventilator since her birth and is nearly 8 weeks old.
As a result, she has another severe condition where the blood vessels in her lungs don’t open fully – persistent pulmonary hypertension in neonates meaning her heart and brain may not be getting enough oxygen.
Despite her diagnosis Caitlyn said her daughter Charlotte (or Lottie) is a light in their life and they hope to bring her home by the end of April.
Mateo Ventura also came in third place.
The Clyde bub was welcomed into the world by his mum Beck, dad Maxwell and his fur sister and brother Nala and Romeo.
“Since Mateo’s birth we have discovered that he loves milk, the outdoors and cuddles,” Beck said.
Mateo gives his parents “huge happy smiles” when he is lying in the bath each night.
The final runner-up was Nikau Martin.
Nikau is growing up in Shepparton and makes his mum Georgie proud.
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