Worth the Wait
Mark Mahoney Randolph Times
WAUSA – Joe and Abbie Pfanstiel are surprised their new bundle of joy is Wausa’s first baby of 2024.
Ander James Pfanstiel was born at 3:31 p.m. March 21 at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton, S.D. He measured 21 inches long and weighed seven pounds, five ounces.
Joe noted he and Abbie – who are both 31 years old – are excited about having Wausa’s first baby of the year.
“We were both a little surprised, but it’s a fun thing to be able to tell people,” Joe said.
Coincidentally, Abbie was the first baby of the year born in her hometown of Aurora in 1993.
“I like that he and I have that in common now,” Abbie said of herself and her son.
Abbie explained the origin of the first and middle names of Ander James.
“It took us a long time to decide on a name for a boy, since we didn’t know the gender,” Abbie said. “We ended up mixing together two names that we liked.
“When I looked it up, it turns out it’s a real name that is used in Scandinavian countries,” she said. “So that worked out well. We knew we would be using the middle name, James, because that’s my dad’s name.”
Joe noted he and Abbie also like the nickname of “Andy” for their son.
“That helped us narrow down a full name when we were deciding,” Joe said.
The couple went to Avera Sacred Heart early in the morning on March 21. Abbie was induced at 6 a.m. that day and gave birth to their son after about 9.5 hours of being in labor. Her doctor was Dr. Jill Sternquist, an obstetrics and gynecology specialist.
Abbie’s due date was March 23, which turned out to be the day she and her newborn came home from the hospital.
Abbie, who is the preschool teacher at Wausa Public Schools, had a fellow Wausa educator give a good guess as to when her child would be born and what her child’s gender would be.
“Carissa Moes did guess that we would be having a boy on March 21, so she was spot on with that,” Abbie said.
Abbie said since coming home from Yankton, “everyone is doing super well.”
“Ander has been a great eater and sleeper,” Abbie said. “He’s been a very relaxed, easygoing baby so far.”
Joe and Abbie’s older child, their 2-year-old daughter Juliet, has been welcoming of her new sibling.
“She has really loved having him around,” Abbie said. “She likes to bring him his pacifiers and checks on him while she’s playing.”
Joe, a Randolph native, and Abbie moved from Creighton to Wausa in November. His parents are Gene and Julie Pfanstiel, who live northwest of Randolph on Highway 81 and run Pfanny’s Farm. Abbie’s mother is Lee-Ann Farrand and she lives in Norfolk.
Joe is currently teaching business at Creighton Public Schools, but next year he will be the business teacher at Wausa.
“I did my student teaching with (former Wausa business teacher) Dawn Friedrich a few years ago, so I’m really excited to be back at the school,” Joe said.
As far as living in Wausa, Joe noted he and Abbie “really appreciate how friendly and welcoming everyone has been.”
“It’s great to see people around town and get to know everyone,” Joe said.
Abbie agreed, adding, “People chat with us when we’re out and about all the time. It’s been a very warm welcome. It’s a great community to be a part of.”
The couple have received various gifts from Wausa area businesses and organizations to celebrate having the community’s first baby of the year: - Gift certificates to The Market from CHS Inc., Pfeil & Associates Inc. and Family 1st Dental.
- Gift certificates from Bill’s Place, The Cafe – Wausa, Elite Diesel & Automotive Repair, Uptown Beauty, Wausa Medical Clinic and Big Red Mini Mart.
- Money into a savings account from Commercial State Bank and Midland Insurance Agency.
- Gifts from Broadway Mercantile, Terry Nelson CPA PC, Elite Diesel & Automotive Repair, Carlson Home & Auto Inc. and Bloomquist Plumbing & Electric.
- Wausa Viking Bucks and a birthday calendar from the Wausa Community Club.