T.O. mayor gives birth to twins

Danté Italo and Luca Frederic de la Peña Thousand Oaks Mayor Claudia Bill-de la Peña got a double blessing on Sunday.

Bill-de la Peña and her husband, Ron de la Peña, welcomed their first children, twin boys born at Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center.

Bill-de la Peña and the babies are doing well.

“He was extraordinarily supportive,” Bill-de la Peña said of her husband, a Thousand Oaks obstetrician and gynecologist, although not his wife’s physician.

Born the same size, the fraternal twins each weighed in at 7 pounds, 2 ounces and were 20 inches long. First to arrive was Danté Italo and one minute later, Luca Frederic. The boys are named after family members in keeping with their German and Italian heritage.

The babies were born just a few days after Bill-de la Peña’s 39th birthday last Wednesday.

The boys have a matching set of cousins to play with. Their aunt, Bill-de la Peña’s sister, gave birth to twin girls earlier this year.

Bill-de la Peña expected to be home by publication of this week’s Thousand Oaks Acorn. She’s taking a leave of absence from her job as a writer for CBS 2 News in Los Angeles but plans to return to the city council as soon as she’s able. Until her return, Councilmember Dennis Gillette will serve as acting mayor.

“It’s an amazing experience, an overwhelming feeling,” Billde la Peña said. “Parenthood is the best thing on the planet.”