Madalyn Lugo, 29, and her boyfriend, Frankie Gross, both of Tacoma, welcomed their first child together on a very special day.
Baby Sofia was born in the Family Birth Center at Tacoma General Hospital on Friday, Nov. 11, 2011 at 11 a.m.
Otherwise known 11-11-11 at 11.
That final 11 wouldn’t have been recorded if not for one more twist of fate: a postponement of Lugo’s caesarean section procedure.
“She was supposed to be born at 10 a.m.,” Gross said, “and it was delayed to clean the room the surgery room.”
“She wanted that 11,” Lugo said of her new daughter.
The News Tribune caught up with the proud parents as they rested in a private post-delivery room. Sofia is their first child together; Lugo, a stay-at-home mom, has a 7-year-old son, and Gross, a foundry worker, has an 8-year-old daughter.
In keeping with the spirit of the day, a reporter posed 11 questions to them.
1. What was your (natural) due date?
LUGO: Nov. 17
2. Were you aware of the significance of 11-11-11 before today?
GROSS: “At first we just thought it would be cool, and as we started telling people, they were like, “Yeah, it’s a lucky day.”
LUGO: “One of the nurses from the clinic (in March or April) was like, “You should try to get 11-11-11. It would be awesome, good luck. I was like, ‘well, that would be pretty cool.’ It just got stuck in my head. I was like, ‘yeah, I have to have that date. I have to have that date.’”
3. Nine months ago, were you aiming for an 11-11-11 birth date?
(Both laugh) “No.”
4. Other than an interview with The News Tribune, what is the coolest thing about having a 11-11-11 baby? Any special gifts?
LUGO: “I haven’t got any gifts yet. I think it sounds pretty cool to say that – 11-11-11 at 11.”
5. Some people make a wish when they see elevens on a clock. What would be your wish for your daughter’s life?
GROSS: “That she’s happy and successful in whatever she does.”
LUGO: “And healthy. A happy life.”
6. Where do you see yourselves when your daughter turns 11?
LUGO: “Happy raising our kids. Living the life.”
7. How did your family react when they found out your daughter was born on 11-11-11?
LUGO: “I’m still hearing her, my mom (in Florida) scream. (Laughs) She was excited, very happy They knew it was scheduled for 11-11-11, but they just didn’t know the time would be 11.”
8. Was there an effort to have the baby born at 11:11?
LUGO: “She (the nurse) ran to the doctor.”
GROSS: “The doctor was, ‘I’m not waiting.’”
LUGO: “It was cool, though, just to get 11 on the dot.”
9. Any discussion about possibly having twins on 11-11-11?
LUGO: “I’m a twin. The thought had crossed my mind.”
GROSS: “(On the way to the hospital,) I said ‘What if there’s a baby hiding behind her?’”
10. What was the baby’s weight?
7 lbs., 7 oz.
More lucky numbers.
REGISTERED NURSE EILEEN DOUGHERTY: “I told them they needed to go to Vegas.” (She was checking in on the baby.)
11. Any interest in aiming to have your next child on 12-12-12?
LUGO: “I actually thought about it. It would be pretty cool to time the next one to fall on a date like that. It’s not going to happen, but that would be pretty cool. That would be pushing it.”
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