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Simon Cowell welcomes his first son

Simon Cowell got the sweetest of Valentines on Friday: he became a father, he announced on Twitter. The baby boy, who Cowell said was named Eric after his father, was born in New York City and weighed six pounds, seven ounces, according to People magazine.The 54-year-old "X Factor" judge announced in the summer he was expecting a baby with socialite Lauren Silverman who was in the middle of divorc
A very happy Simon Cowell is seen arriving at Lenox Hill Hospital on Friday in New York City to wait for the birth of his son.
A very happy Simon Cowell is seen arriving at Lenox Hill Hospital on Friday in New York City to wait for the birth of his son.Alessio Botticelli / Getty Images

Simon Cowell got the sweetest of Valentines on Friday: he became a father, he announced on Twitter. The baby boy, who Cowell said was named Eric after his father, was born in New York City and weighed six pounds, seven ounces, according to People magazine.

Very+happy+to+say+Eric+was+born+at+17.45pm.+Healthy+and+handsome.

—+Simon+Cowell+(@SimonCowell)+February+15,+2014+
A very happy Simon Cowell is seen arriving at Lenox Hill Hospital on  New York City on Friday to wait for the birth of his son.
A very happy Simon Cowell is seen arriving at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City on Friday to wait for the birth of his son.Alessio Botticelli / Today

The 54-year-old "X Factor" judge announced in the summer he was expecting a baby with socialite Lauren Silverman who was in the middle of divorcing his close friend, real estate mogul Andrew Silverman. The Silvermans, who have an 8-year-old son, finalized their divorce in December.

Cowell was going to spend Valentine's Day across the pond, where he has been taping the U.K. version of "The X Factor." But on Friday, as soon as he got word that Silverman was in labor, he rushed to New York City to be by her side.

In September, during an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" Cowell expressed how he felt about the intense media interest in his personal life: 

“It was kind of uncomfortable. You know, the situation. But these things happen and everything is kind of calm now and I’m happy,” he said. Two months later, he returned to the talk show, and DeGeneres noted he was "glowing." In many interviews, Cowell has expressed his excitement about becoming a father, despite the fact he never thought he would be one.

"I'm actually happier than I've ever been," he has said.