When Amanda Ciccone was pregnanct with her son, Vincent, she often joked that she thought he would be an Olympian. She loves watching the Olympics and during her pregnancy, Vincent showed that he had the swift kick of a soccer player.
Plus, he's already an award-winner. At only 2 days old, Vincent earned his first medal for “Most Hair” at Magee Womens Hospital of UPMC in Pittsburgh.
“It was a really cool and fun thing to do,” said Ciccone, 29, of Penn Township, Pennsylvania. “It definitely adds to our story.”
In honor of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, the hospital's nursery staff handed out awards to babies in six categories, helping the youngest Team USA fans get into the spirit of the games. The awards included:
- Strongest lungs
- Sweetest cheeks
- Longest eyelashes
- Most Hair
- Brightest Eyes
- Best Napper
“I was not surprised about the award that he won once I heard it,” Ciccone said. “We are a little biased because we think he is the cutest little button. It was very fun to show him off.”
Vincent was born on February 6, 2018 weighing 7 pounds 11 ounces, with a full head of hair. For Thursday’s event, staff swaddled Vincent in a red, white, and blue blanket, and he wore a red, white, and blue cap, which was knitted by one of the nurses.
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The staff hopes they’re providing families with fond memories.
“For the patients and the parents, it helps them remember this very special moment that we have,” said Jeff Hodges, chief nursing officer at Magee. “It is really celebrating all our champion babies … we just thought it would be fun to include some competition in this.”
In honor of his win, Vincent received a plaque and “bragging rights.” Soon after the event, he went home with his parents and Ciccone plans on watching the opening ceremonies while adjusting to life with a new baby.
“That is one of my favorite parts of the Olympics,” she said.