Ice-T and Coco Austin welcome baby
Ice-T and wife Nicole "Coco" Austin at David Tutera's CELEBrations: Ice-T & Coco's Pre-Birthday Party For Baby Chanel in New York, Oct. 22, 2015. Getty Images

Christmas came early for Ice-T and wife Nicole "Coco" Austin. The pair was set to welcome their first child, a daughter named Chanel Nicole, in a few weeks, but the baby girl arrived ahead of schedule.

Coco announced her baby's arrival on Twitter Saturday. A rep for the 36-year-old model and 57-year-old rapper-actor told People magazine Chanel Nicole was born shortly before noon in Englewood, New Jersey.

Ice-T also announced the news on his Twitter account, writing: "Ladies and Gentlemen! Please allow me to introduce to the world ... Baby Chanel 5.7 pounds. Love is Love."

Chanel Nicole is the first child for Austin and the third for Ice-T. He has two children, Tracy and Letesha, from a previous relationship.

Shortly before the baby's arrival, Austin told fans she didn’t think her daughter was going to wait until her December due date.

“My 37 week bump!! This baby is coming early -- a mothers intuition #ChanelNicole is trying to make her appearance," she wrote on Instagram. "Strange thing is I will miss her inside of me. … I really enjoyed the experience. My goal was to make pregnancy look positive, fashionable, cute, fit and healthy every step of the way."

Austin recently opened up about motherhood to People magazine, saying she was enjoying her pregnancy.

“When you become pregnant you totally honor the fact that you’re pregnant and you love the bump, and you love the feeling of something growing inside of you. You could care less about your body,” Austin said. “I say to this day, I could be pregnant for the rest of my life. Believe it or not.”

Austin and Ice-T, who married in 2001, announced the pregnancy in July during a taping of their daytime talk show "Ice & Coco."

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