The 2017 New Year’s Baby has finally arrived at 100 Mile District General Hospital, to the delight of a proud family at Canim Lake.
A beautiful, healthy baby girl, Indy Bowden Simpson, arrived at 3:05 a.m. on Feb. 14 to proud parents Shaylen Zagar and Taylor Simpson.
Weighing in at eight pounds, three ounces, the first baby born in 100 Mile House since the 2017 New Year arrived in time to be awarded a whole host of New Year’s Baby gifts for the parents and their darling little girl, awarded annually from local businesses and organizations.
Indy joins her parents and her brother, Boone Simpson– still a baby himself at 18 months of age — at their new home on Canim Lake, with her delighted grandparents, Gordon and Debbie Simpson, living just next door.
While some might say Indy arrived a bit late in the year as compared to previous New Year’s babies in 100 Mile House, her father explains she was actually pretty quick to appear once she decided Valentine’s Day was a good time.
They had recently just moved back to the 100 Mile House area, and were expected to head back to Kamloops for the delivery, he explains.
“It was kind of funny, because we were supposed to deliver in Kamloops … but, there was only a three-hour labour, so we wouldn’t have made it to Kamloops.”
Happily, both Shaylen and Indy came through the birth experience with no troubles, he adds.
“Everybody was good, and 100 Mile pulled through and delivered our baby for us. We are really happy we delivered in 100 Mile, because we got to come home right away, the first night, pretty much. We didn’t have to stay in Kamloops for days on end.”
Shaylen adds she was also relieved to be so close to home when she realized her time had arrived.
“It was just after midnight when I said ‘I think I’m in labour’ and then by three o’clock we were holding her, so it was a quick one.”
Her mother, Danielle Zagar, lives in Mission and her father, Kevin Barrie, is in Kamloops, and both of Indy’s maternal grandparents are very excited to meet her and have planned visits within the next week or so, Shaylen adds.
Taylor says his parents, Gordon and Debbie, are both really happy to welcome their sweet new granddaughter, and also to have their young grandson living so nearby.
“My mom is just ‘over the moon’.”
Indy’s middle name, Bowden, was Taylor’s great-grandmother’s name, so also holds a big meaning for his mother, he adds.
While Boone is too young to show much reaction yet to having a brand new baby sister, Taylor says he and Shaylen are very pleased to have their children close together in age.
Pleasantly surprised to hear there were actually gifts awaiting them, they happily agreed to stop by the 100 Mile Free Press office for certificates to collect a bunch of helpful donations for them and their new baby.
Being raised in urban areas, Shaylen notes she was quite amazed by the local support.
“I’ve never lived in a small town before, we just moved in November, so it’s kind of neat to have everybody excited with us.”