The new year is here and with it came resolutions and hopes for fresh starts. For two local couples, it’s the start of something bigger than any resolution they’ve ever made. It’s also the best kind of fresh start: The birth of their first babies.
As 2012’s clock ticked away, most were thinking about what to do on New Year’s Eve. For Koleton Pyke, he was gearing up for the birth of his first baby, not due until Feb. 8.
“I remember at midnight thinking one more month to get everything ready and prepared. Then, about six hours later, we were having a baby,” Pyke said about his new year baby’s early arrival.
Damien Michael met the world, the new year and his parents at 5:52 a.m. New Year’s Day and was a celebrity before he could even open his dark brown eyes.
“It just feels kind of extra special when you have a new year’s baby,” said Jesseca Lowe, fiancee to Pyke and mother to Mr. 2013. “[Having a New Year’s baby] doesn’t happen very often; everyone can have a baby on a day, but it’s not very often you have the first baby of the new year. He’s one of a kind.”
The couple just had the baby shower for Damien Dec. 30 and had just nestled the little one’s new belongings away when the 4 pound, 13 ounce “rockstar,” as his uncle calls him, made his debut at St. Joe Hospital.
Lowe said the day of Damien’s birth was especially normal, until midnight. Then, she said, the evening took a movie-plot twist.
“I cleaned, I went to work and I felt fine. I took a nap and then was up to watch the ball drop around 11:30 when I started having some pains,” Lowe said with a foreshadowing smile. “I decided to lay back down for a bit.”
But, soon the paramedics would be at her home ... but, not for her — or so they thought.
“We had a couple of friends over and one of them is diabetic. His blood sugar crashed and we had to call the paramedics. I told my friend’s wife to tell Jesse to not freak out that there was going to be an ambulance coming [while I helped my friend],” Pyke said. “A little later [Jesseca] yelled for me and she said the pain was getting pretty bad so the paramedics kind of got a two-for-one deal and took her, too. So, my best friend was in the E.R. and my fiancee was in the E.R. having our baby.”
“It was kind of like a movie honestly,” Lowe said before her fiance titled the tale in which their baby’s birth would be the star.
“I’d probably title that movie ‘Oh, The Irony,’” Pyke said.
The couple said last year they rang in the new year while celebrating with friends in Bloomington. This year, they had a baby and the duo said they already have a really good idea as to how they’ll be spending the next new year.
“Wrapping presents,” Pyke said with excitement.
“Wrapping presents and getting ready for [Damien’s] birthday party,” Lowe added as the couple looked at each other with eagerness for many more new years to come.
As the clock struck midnight another couple was on the horizon of sharing the new year with a new member of the family.
Chris and Heather Heath were out at a local restaurant when her water broke.
“[The baby] was out celebrating the new year with his mommy,” Heather said about Keegan Edward Lee Heath’s arrival to the world. “Eight hours later, [the couple’s first] baby was born and we’re so happy he’s here. It’s really special to have a new year’s baby and he’s a handsome little man.”
Chris said there’s one word that describes his emotions to be a first-time father.
“I’m ecstatic!”
The family of three were nestled in their hospital room at Community Howard Regional Health only a few days before they thought they would be showing up in the halls with a baby on the way.
“His due date was Jan. 4, but we’ve been so excited to meet him we were trying everything to get him out,” Heather said. “I was dancing, taking hot showers, jumping around, we’ve been waiting for him forever.”
Local News
Related Photos
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I’m new here: Damien Michael Pyke sleeps at St. Joseph Hospital, where he earned the title of Baby New Year.
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New parents: Koleton Pyke and Jesseca Lowe are the proud parents of Damien Michael Pyke.
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Bundle of joy: Chris and Heather Heath enjoy the new company of Keegan Edward Lee Heath at Community Howard Regional Health.
Discussion
New year rings in new life
Howard County’s first babies arrive in dramatic fashion.
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