Illinois governor's wife gives birth

CHICAGO -- Gov. Rod Blagojevich took his overdue wife to a Mexican dinner Friday night and was repaid with a healthy baby daughter Saturday morning.

Patti Blagojevich, 10 days overdue with the couple's second daughter, gave birth to Anne Blagojevich at 5 a.m. Saturday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Prentice Women's and Maternity Center. Mother and child were expected to be released from the hospital Monday.

The governor said his wife felt the baby was on its way Friday, so he and 6-year-old daughter Amy left a Chicago White Sox game to eat at a Mexican restaurant -- the same ritual that had preceded Amy's birth. But this time he said they had to leave the restaurant to get to the hospital because "her symptoms were profound."

The governor said the labor lasted about 6 1/2 hours.

"The gift of life is the most precious gift that God gives us," said Blagojevich, his voice quaking as he announced the news while holding his older daughter. "She's healthy and she looks good and she cries in a very healthy way."

Blagojevich said the baby was born 8 pounds, 5 ounces with dark hair. He said after the birth he took Amy to pick out a dozen roses for her mother and a teddy bear for her new sister.

Amy said she was happy to have a little sister, and she said "no" when asked if she wanted a brother.

Anne, the first lady's middle name, is the official name to go on the birth certificate, but the family will call the child Annie, the governor said.

"She's so tiny and she's so small that we just feel comfortable calling her Annie," he said.

There was a practical reason, too.

"With a last name like Blagojevich, you kind of want a short first name," the governor said.

The couple did not immediately give Annie a middle name.

The family is asking anyone wishing to make a gift to instead donate to the Illinois Safe Kids Coalition, promoting car safety by providing child car seats to low-income families.