The community didn’t have to wait long to welcome the first Jewish baby of 2019. Ella Victoria Myron was born Jan. 2 at 2:20 p.m. at Shawnee Mission Medical Center. She is the daughter of Lori and Scott Myron and the younger sister of David Louis Myron. The Myrons are members of The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah.
“Ella’s due date was Dec. 31, 2018, but she had her own plans to come in 2019 instead,” said her mother, Lori.
The first Jewish baby of 2019 measured 20.25 inches long and weighed in at 8 pounds, 5 ounces.
“I think her eyes are blue and her hair is a light brown, but it’s possible she has auburn hair,” Lori said. “It’s hard to tell on those last two just yet.”
Ella Victoria is named after four of her parents’ beloved grandparents.
“We had the name picked while I was pregnant with our son years ago until we found out he was a boy,” said 2019’s first Jewish mommy.
The name Ella is derived from several names — Scott’s maternal grandmother Bella, Lori’s maternal grandmother -Elfriede and Lori’s paternal grandmother Adele.
“She isn’t actually named after Adele because my niece is, but it’s sort of the vowel sounds in reverse and still special in my heart,” Lori said.
The baby’s middle name Victoria is in honor of Scott’s paternal grandfather with a name of Victor.
Ella was the 16th most popular name in 2017 according to the Social Security Administration. It means “light” or “beautiful fairy woman.” Famous Ella’s include singer Ella Fitzgerald, Ella in the book “Ella Enchanted” and Cinderella. According to UNICEF, children born in the United States this year can expect to live until 2099. That means they can expect to see 80 World Series, 20 World Cups and Super Bowl CXXXIII.
The Myrons have lived in the Kansas City area since 2005, moving here for Scott to take a job at Cerner, where he still works. They met at freshman orientation at the University of Indiana in Bloomington and have been married since 2006.
Lori, who was a music teacher before choosing to be a stay-at-home mom, is vice president of social events for Active Inspired Moms (AIM). AIM is The Jewish Community Center’s group for mothers, now in its second year.
“I so appreciated the group in its first year when I was brand new to this area,” said Lori, explaining that prior to June 2017 they lived in a part of Kansas City that didn’t have much of a Jewish community.
It’s a group she’s thrilled to be associated with.
“Because of the wonderful people I met my first year in AIM, I was happy to help the group in any way possible,” she said, adding she is also attending a Melton class taught by Marla Brockman and is enjoying “Jewish studies as an adult.”
When Scott isn’t working, he enjoys computer programming, running, and baking bread and pizza.
Ella and her parents will receive a free one-year subscription to The Chronicle and gifts from the following advertisers in honor of being the First Jewish Baby of 2019:
- Star of David necklace from Brookside Jewelry BKS
- Floral bouquet from Craig Sole Designs
- An overnight stay and breakfast for two in the Trofi Restaurant from the Doubletree by Hilton Kansas City-Overland Park
- Baby’s first handmade cashmere doll from Eclectics Gallery
- $25 gift certificate from Gates Bar-B-Q
- A sterling silver and pearl necklace, engravable for baby’s name to the first Jewish mommy of 2019 from Glitters Fine Jewelry
- $500 gift certificate toward kindergarten tuition at the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy and a Future Ram bib
- Two tickets to any Spring 2019 Carlsen Center Presents performance and two chicken spiedini dinners at Garˉozzo’s Ristorante from Johnson County Community College
- Two tickets to any 2019 performance at KC Actors Theatre
- Two tickets to any remaining show from the 2018-19 season at KC Rep
- Two tickets to a performance of choice during the 2018-2019 season at the Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre
- $25 gift certificate from Cosentino’s Price Chopper
- $25 gift certificate from Riley’s Phillips 66
- $25 gift card from Urban Table