UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital announced its first newborn of 2023 — Amir Everardo Rodriguez Zavala was born at 7:22 p.m. Sunday to proud parents Juliana Zavala and Martin Rodriguez of Longmont.
The healthy baby boy weighed in at 7 pounds, 2 ounces, and measured 19.5 inches.
Amir is the couple’s second child, and he arrived 11 days earlier than expected, which surprised his parents — they didn’t think he would to become the hospital’s official New Year’s Day baby.
“We didn’t expect it at all. It was so fast,” his mother said. “He has an exciting birthday.”
Amir’s parents said they both cried when they first saw him.
“We’re both just so happy, I mean, we don’t have any words — I was just tearing up when I saw his little face and all his hair,” his father said.
The proud dad hopes that as his son grows up, he will “keep going as far as he can to reach his goals and to be a nice leader for everyone, like his name.”
The parents chose Amir’s Arabic name because it means prince, leader and commander.
UCHealth providers, hospital staff and the birth center team gave the family a red Radio Flyer wagon with a giant teddy bear to mark the occasion. The family also received baby supplies, stuffed animals, diapers, wipes, clothes and toys.
