Baby Nathaniel has impeccable timing.

The 6-pound, 13-ounce baby boy was born at Whidbey General Hospital in Coupeville last Friday at 11:11 a.m.

That’s right, his birthdate is 11-11-11 at 11:11 a.m.

“A New Year’s baby is one thing, but this is really weird,” said Trish Nilsen, RN, manager of Whidbey Family Birthplace. “He came right on time and everybody looked at the clock and couldn’t believe it.”

“That is kind of freaky,” acknowledged dad Byran, an Aviation Structural Mechanic at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. (The family has asked not to have their last name published.) “We joked about it, telling him to hold off, but we didn’t expect it to happen.”

Byran, who has been on deployment for the past six months, got home in mid-afternoon on Nov. 10, after what turned out to be a long trip. His flight kept getting postponed.

“Finally they just told me they were sending me back with the rest of the personnel going back,” he said.

But due to mechanical problems, Byran was held up in Spain for an extra 18 hours, leaving Chia, who had undergone most of the pregnancy alone, to wonder if he’d be there in time for their son’s birth.

“It was very emotional, wondering if he was going to be home in time,” she said.

Less than 12 after getting home, Byran and his Chia went to the hospital for the birth of their second child. Big sister, Sophia, is 2-and-a-half.

“When I left, Sophia was just saying a few words,” Byran said. “Now she’s talking in complete sentences.”

Chia said the last six months as a single parent have been hard.

“It was a lot of work,” she said. “And now it’s the emotional adjustment of having him home. There wasn’t much time together as a family (before the baby was born).”

And no, she said she didn’t try to slow down the baby’s birth — quite the opposite in fact, as Nathaniel’s heart rate had slowed and Chia, a nurse herself, was concerned.

“(The time) 11:11 was not on my mind — getting him out was,” she said. Both baby and mother are healthy and doing well.

Chia and Byran said that besides sleep, they’re looking forward to spending time together now that baby and daddy are here safely and the family is all together. That, and sharing the story of Nathaniel’s timely entrance.

“I guess he’ll have something to talk about for the rest of his life,” said Byran.