Newtown’s First Baby Of The Year

By Nancy K. Crevier and Kendra Bobowick

Spencer Gabriel Maddox nudged aside other entrants to become the winner of The Newtown Bee First Baby Contest of 2010. Spencer, the son of Nicole and Stephen Maddox, was born Monday, January 4, at St Raphael Hospital in New Haven, weighing 9 pounds, 7 ounces.

Dr David Bonheim of Trumbull Pediatrics was the attending physician at Spencer’s 9:40 pm birth.

On the day before Nicole’s own birthday, the Maddoxes welcomed Spencer into the family two weeks earlier than anticipated, joining 4-year-old sister Jordyn and 19-month-old brother Bryce.

“Early is nice,” Ms Maddox said, especially since Spencer could have been larger than her older children who also had birth weights of more than nine pounds. The day her son was born was “just crazy.” For several days she had experienced contractions, then decided to ignore the pains as if they were “crying wolf,” she said, “But that’s the day I went into labor,” she said.

At lunch with a coworker, Ms Maddox realized, “I needed a doctor.” Her husband was already on his way in another direction to pick up Bryce, who had a fever.

“I drove myself to the hospital,” she said. Laughing Monday morning, January 18, she recalled, “I don’t think anyone wants to drive themselves to the hospital.” She did not know it at the time, but her husband had passed her along Route 34, even sticking his arm out the window. Shaking his head, her husband said, “She didn’t see me.”

Two weeks after his birth, Nicole and Stephen watched their older children play with a plastic salamander and practice writing on paper, while Ms Maddox cradled sleeping Spencer in her lap. Looking down at her second son and reattaching the miniature tie that went with his suit, she said, “I always pictured myself with girls.” Based on experience from her one son she said, “Boys are very active, we’ll see how I do!”

Like her other children, Spencer’s name is “slightly different, but not too different.” The boys’ names were not readily on the tip of her tongue, unlike her daughter’s. “I knew my daughter’s [name] when I was young,” Ms Maddox said.

The Maddoxes chose not to know their baby’s gender prior to birth. “I wanted the surprise,” Ms Maddox said. “Many people don’t understand that, but I always tell people that I needed the motivation,” especially during labor.

The long list of generous donations by local merchants to Newtown’s first baby winners includes gift certificates to UK Gourmet, Spa Mianra, Newtown Hardware, Drug Center Pharmacy, Avancè Esthetiques, Down on Main Street, Tambascio’s Italian Grill, Ace Hardware of Newtown, and Sandy Hook Wine & Liquor.

Other prizes are a $50 savings account for Spencer from Newtown Savings Bank, movie passes to Edmond Town Hall Theatre, breakfast for the new parents at My Place Family Restaurant, lunch for two at The Villa Restaurant and at the Newtown Deli & Catering, free cleaning and preservation of baby’s christening outfit at Queen Street Cleaners, a free oil change and lubrication from Newtown Car Care Center, Inc, dinner for the new parents at The Blue Colony Diner and also at 100 Church Hill, a bottle of champagne from World of Wine and Spirits and from Stop & Save Liquors, complimentary hair cuts for the parents at Ricci’s Salon and at Robert Anthony’s Salon, an oil change from NJK Sunoco, a large cheese pizza from Newtown Pizza Palace, and a one year subscription to The Newtown Bee.

Welcome to Newtown, Spencer Maddox!