MOSES LAKE — Not long after the coronavirus pandemic began to sweep through the country and cast a dark shadow on America, Natalie Adame found out she was pregnant with her second child.

Nine months later, soon after the first coronavirus vaccines were being distributed and an end to the pandemic seemed to come into view, Romeo Dre Adame was born at 4:36 p.m. Jan. 2, at Samaritan Hospital, the first baby of Moses Lake in 2021.

Matt Adame, Romeo’s father, and Natalie were wanting to have a child for some time before the pandemic began. Their four-year-old daughter was pushing her parents for a sibling, and though she wanted a sister, she would later come around to the idea of having a little brother, Natalie said.

When they saw the positive pregnancy test in April, it was a joyful moment, but one clouded by uncertainty.

“Of course, we were pretty nervous because we didn’t know what to expect, like everyone else,” Natalie said in an interview. “But after doing some research and stuff I quickly learned that the virus wouldn’t pass over the placenta, so it wouldn’t have a major effect on the baby. That made me feel so much better.”

Still, Natalie said she took extra precautions, staying at home and avoiding coming into contact with other people. All the while, the couple’s day care, Little Sunshine Childcare Center, was a microcosm subject to all of the mercurial swings the rest of the economy was experiencing.

“We definitely had our ups and downs, with the number count, kids being pulled in and out of school, with parents losing their jobs or working at home,” Natalie said. “But we’re trying to do our best to keep meeting the guidelines that are necessary.”

Still, that business has slowly stabilized, Natalie said, and the Little Sunshine Childcare Center looks forward to a brighter year ahead than the one it just went through.

After learning she was going to be giving birth during the pandemic, there was obvious concern. In the early stages, hospitals weren’t allowing visitors of any kind and it seemed like Natalie wouldn’t be able to have Matt there with her. As the due date approached, restrictions loosened slightly, and she was allowed limited visitors.

“That made the experience better for me,” she said.

But there were a few difficult moments and her daughter wasn’t able to visit her new brother in the hospital.

The Adames expected to have their new year blessed with the arrival of their baby boy, with Romeo’s due date originally Jan. 9.

“It gave us something to look forward to, a little excitement with the new year,” Natalie said. “We’re going to start off the new year right. It was nice to have that to look forward to.”

But the precocious tyke decided to come a week early.

Not long after Romeo was delivered, they were ushered out of the hospital, as healthcare workers continued to try to limit the number of people on-site. And the Adame family, now a little bigger, went home.

Emry Dinman can be reached via email at edinman@columbiabasinherald.com.