Congratulations are in order for Eli Young Band's Jon Jones, who welcomed his first child -- a boy named Hudson Lennon Jones -- on Dec. 31 just outside of Fort Worth, Texas.

“We are ecstatic about this beautiful baby boy that came into our world,” Jones tells People of his expanding family. “Words cannot describe our excitement and joy.”

The little bundle of joy arrived a week later than expected, but that didn't detour the singer and his wife, Sarah, from their original plan of action “Sarah and I feel very fortunate that we were able to stick to our birth plan and have Hudson naturally,” shares the proud papa.

“The birth was extremely smooth. We left our house at 10AM for the birthing center when contractions were four minutes apart and he was born just a few short hours later," Jones recalls. "We had a great birth team who helped us through everything.”

Both mother and son went home happy and healthy that same afternoon, but Jones did not return to work quite as quickly, despite a scheduled concert with the rest of Eli Young Band at the Choctaw Casino Resort in Durant, Okla.

“The rest of the band went on stage without me for the second time in our careers,” Jones admits. “They are truly great friends for letting Sarah and I share this wonderful experience together. We were home within four hours of the birth to celebrate New Year’s Eve as a family — mostly holding Hudson in amazement.”

“We are all still settling in to our new lives and are learning something new every minute,” notes the new dad. ”I could not be more proud of my wife and could not be a happier father.”

Jones and the rest of his bandmates will resume their tour schedule in early February, with a handful of dates schedules through the end of the month. The 'Say Goodnight' singers will then join Kenny Chesney on his 2013 No Shoes Nation Tour in March. That tour currently has dates booked through August.

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