North County Baby Misses New Year by Minutes
 Jayden Ann-Phyllis Cote is North County's not-quite New Year's baby. |
Sprowson and Jayden's dad, Russell Cote, 23, thought they were about to have Berkshire County's New Year's baby, but doctors sent Sprowson back home.
Some 24 hours later, the city couple were back at the hospital and Jayden arrived four minutes after midnight on Jan. 2. Too late to be first in the county, but just in time to be the first arrival in North County.
When did they know Jayden was arriving? "When Dr. Yates woke me up and told me to push," laughed Sprowson.
The couple didn't seem too disappointed at losing the title and more proud of the pink-cheeked little girl being held by her paternal grandmother Brenda Moore (who suggested the hospital's clocks were a few minutes fast). Moore, however, would have liked Jayden to arrive on her due date of Jan. 6.
"She was supposed to come on my 50th birthday," lamented Moore of her third grandchild. "Instead, she came as a present for me."
Jayden Ann-Phyllis is named in part for her mother's two grandmothers — Phyllis Davis, who was present at the birth, and Ann, who died before Sprowson was born.
In addition to Davis and Moore, Sprowson's parents Robert and Debra Sprowson were at the hospital awaiting the arrival of their grandchild.
Described as "one of my best adventures," by her father, she came in at 7 pounds, 1 ounce, and 19 1/2 inches long. She's the first for the couple, who have been together for nearly three years.
She may be the last, too, joked Sprowson, who is still recovering from childbirth.
"I just want a good future for her," said Cote. "Just like any other father would."
The New Year's baby title goes this year to Connor Paul Drosehn, the son of Nichole Lacasse, 20, and Travis Drosehn, 22. Connor was born at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield at 11:28 a.m. on New Year's Day. He was 8 pounds, 9 ounces, and measured 19 inches.
Last year, North Adams Regional ushered in the county's New Year's baby for the first time in years since BMC usually takes the honors. The "New Year's baby" for North County has been known to arrive as late as Jan. 4.
