NATCHEZ — Natchez’s first addition of the year is a bouncing baby boy — the first grandson in his family.

The first Natchez baby of 2016 was born Sunday at 11:46 a.m. at Merit Health Natchez.

Trennis Edward William Gooden III was born at 6 pounds, 1 ounce Sunday to Shanequa Hayes and Trennis Gooden II. He is their firstborn.

Hayes went into labor Saturday morning, but was sent home from the hospital to allow her labor to progress.

“My contractions were 2 minutes apart all day,” Hayes said. “It was hard. There was a lot of pain.”

Hayes returned to the hospital close to midnight, and gave birth Sunday morning after more than 24 hours of labor.

Gooden said his baby boy mesmerizes him.

“I just don’t want to let him go,” he said. “The first night, I held him most of the night.”

Hayes and Gooden have been dating since high school, when they met at a band event. Hayes is a student at Copiah-Lincoln Community College,

Hayes said she was surprised but overjoyed to find out she was pregnant, but her father was less excited at first. He has since changed his mind.

“He forgot he was mad all of a sudden,” Hayes said. “He was standing at the window going, ‘that’s my grandson!’”

The moment was bittersweet for the family, as the boy was born during the funeral of Hayes’ maternal grandfather.

Hayes said she is sorry her mother, Samantha Hayes, was unable to attend the services, and that her son would never meet his great-grandfather.

“He would have wanted to be here,” Hayes said.

Hayes said the family would be introducing baby Trennis to their hunting, fishing and outdoors lifestyle as soon as possible. He is the first grandson on both sides of his family.

The family took the boy home on Tuesday, where his mother has prepared a camouflage-themed nursery for him.

“They’re talking about putting a car seat in the boat,” Hayes said, joking. “I don’t want him to be spoiled, but he’s going to be. He has no choice.”