Wing Yang figured he might sneak in one last day of snowboarding on the North Shore mountains before the responsibilities of fatherhood caught up with him.
His wife, Viki Wu, thought she had a few more days to prepare for life as a first-time mom.
Their son, however, had other ideas, entering the world at 6:21 a.m. on Jan. 1, a few days ahead of schedule, becoming the first baby born on the North Shore in 2019.
With their first child’s due date not until Jan. 4, Yang, 26, said he had been planning to get in a day at Cypress when his wife went into labour early on Dec. 31. The couple went to Lions Gate Hospital but were told to return when labour was more advanced.
Just about a full day later, at 5:30 a.m. Jan. 1, the West Vancouver couple decided it was time to head back to the hospital – just in time. Their son was born about 20 minutes after they arrived.
“I almost had the baby in the lobby of the hospital,” said Wu, 24. “It just happened so fast.”
After consulting with Wu’s mother, the West Vancouver couple have given the baby the traditional Chinese name Youning Yang. They said they are still deciding on an everyday first name that their son will go by.
The baby was born weighing six pounds, 11 ounces.
