First baby of 2001 takes his time

Published 10:00 am Monday, January 8, 2001

“Monica Field’s baby, Eli Anthony Hons Field, was the first South Whidbey baby born on Whidbey Island in 2001.>br>Matt Johnson, staff photoMonica Field certainly knows what the word expecting means.She was expecting her first baby on its due date Dec. 23, but the baby had other ideas. He waited until the new year, and in the process gave Monica the distinction of being the mother of the first South Whidbey baby born on Whidbey Island in the new year. The first baby of the new millennium, in fact, for those who adhere strictly to the Gregorian calendar.Eli Anthony Hons Field was born at Whidbey General Hospital at 6:56 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 3. He weighed 8 pounds, 1 1/2 ounces at birth. His arrival came two days after Monica entered the hospital late on New Year’s Eve.Monica said she wasn’t surprised that young Eli followed his own time schedule. They kept telling me he’d be born before his Dec. 23 due date, but I said no, it’ll be later, she said. I got to come to the hospital on New Year’s Eve.Monica, a Freeland resident, had been attending Bayview HIgh School but withdrew to have the baby. She said she now plans to return to high school. The baby’s father is Shawn Poolman of Clinton, who plans to obtain his GED while working.Grandparents are Terry Field of Freeland and Sharon Mann of Vancouver, Wa.; and Sandy and Larry Poolman of Clinton. “