It's a boy!
MARC STEWART/Press Nikki and Cody Spencer hold their newborn son, Zane Lee Spencer, at Kootenai Health. Zane was the first baby born in Kootenai County in 2018.
By MARC STEWART
Staff Writer
Zane Lee Spencer delivered on New Year’s Eve prayers.
The infant was born at 4:05 a.m. Monday at Kootenai Health, making him the first baby born in Kootenai County in 2018.
“We were praying he would be the first baby born,” said his father, Cody Spencer. “It’s awesome! We were really pushing for it.”
Actually, his wife, Nikki, was doing all the pushing at Kootenai Health’s Family Birthing Center in Coeur d’Alene. The new mom was all smiles after a whirlwind delivery that left her exhausted.
“I went to bed at 11:30 and I woke up after 1 and my contractions were only a couple minutes apart,” she said. “I knew this was it. I was only in labor for a couple of hours.”
Added Cody: “I woke up to screams from my wife that I had never heard before. I knew it was time. I grabbed a bag and we went to the hospital.”
Officially, Zane Lee Spencer weighed in at 6 pounds, 5 ounces. He measured 19 inches long with tufts of dark hair.
“It’s very exciting,” said Nikki. “It still doesn’t feel real.”
The Coeur d’Alene couple couldn’t stop grinning as their bundle of joy slept peacefully through a brief interview with The Press. They explained how they decided on Zane as a name after researching possibilities online.
“In Hebrew, Zane translates to John. It means God’s gracious gift,” said Nikki. “He’s a gift to us and to God.”