Montrose couple has year’s first local baby

Jason Cook of Montrose holds his son, Aeden, at Moses Taylor Hospital on New Year’s Day. Born at 3:30 a.m., Aeden was the first baby born in Lackawanna County in 2011. TIMES-SHAMROCK PHOTO/LINDA MORGAN

BY CAITLIN HEANEY

Times-Shamrock Writer

Lackawanna County’s first baby of 2011 slept soundly in his father’s arms Saturday afternoon by the glow of a Christmas tree.

The son of Montrose couple Jason Cook and Kristi Byham, Aeden Cook was born Saturday at 3:30 a.m. at Moses Taylor Hospital in Scranton after a labor that started Thursday.

“It’s surreal,” first-time father Mr. Cook said. “It’s quite an experience.”

Aeden was not due until Jan. 6, but Mr. Cook said the hospital induced labor Thursday after a recent ultrasound showed the boy weighing 9 pounds. Aeden ended up being delivered by cesarean section Saturday – just ahead of two other boys born before dawn at the hospital – and weighed 10 pounds, 3 ounces.

As Ms. Byham rested that afternoon, Aeden’s paternal grandmother, Jackie Cook Starks, cradled her first grandchild. She is looking forward to babysitting him and gave the couple babysitting “coupons” for Christmas.

“It’s so exciting,” she said. “He’s so big and beautiful and healthy. That’s the wonderful part, isn’t it?”

Between Ms. Byham’s labor contractions, the family saw the New Year’s fireworks at downtown Scranton go off just after midnight, Ms. Cook Starks said. They knew other babies were on their way at the hospital Friday night and were not sure at first if Aeden would be the county’s first baby of the new year.

“We were all kind of delirious at that point,” Mr. Cook joked.

But the experience has been indescribable, he said.

“It’s still kind of like a dream,” he said.