When Amelia Nari Lee arrived at Mercy Health – Lourdes Hospital on Jan. 1, 2022, she wasn’t just the hospital’s first baby of the new year. Amelia immediately became a part of a unique family tradition.
Amelia, the first child of proud parents Hyun Woo and Charity Lee, is one of several family members who will celebrate a birthday on a holiday.
Her dad Hyun Woo’s birthday is on Halloween, and her mom Charity’s is on Independence Day. And that’s not all: Amelia’s uncle’s birthday is on Veterans Day and her aunt’s is on Flag Day.
Amelia’s due date was Jan. 6. Hyun notes that given the holiday birthdays he and his wife have, his coworkers were sure the couple would have a holiday baby. The baby pool at his workplace was split. Some thought she would arrive on Christmas Day, but it was those who selected New Year’s Day who guessed correctly.
However, this wasn’t always a sure thing.
Charity started feeling contractions at 6 p.m. on Dec. 30, but then they stopped. The couple went to church for a party, returning home at 11 p.m. Charity’s contractions started again at noon on New Year’s Eve, but after a quick visit to the hospital, she was sent home since the contractions were not progressing.
She slept a bit. Then, at 5 a.m. when she woke Hyun up, Charity’s water broke. The couple arrived at the hospital at 6 a.m. on New Year’s Day. And from there things moved quickly.
“I started labor at 11:30 a.m. and only pushed for 23 minutes before Amelia was born,” Charity shares.
Amelia arrived at 12:43 p.m., weighing 7 pounds, 3 ounces and measuring 20 inches long.
Now home, Amelia’s mom and dad are thrilled with their newest family member.
“It’s been awesome,” Charity says. “Amelia is perfect and the calmest little baby ever.”
Visit the Mercy Health website to learn more about our ministry.
