Happy birthday to Scotty McCreery‘s son, Avery! The American Idol alum and his wife, Gabi, welcomed their first child, named Merrick Avery, into the world one year ago, on October 24, 2022.

“Next to his mother, he is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” McCreery said when announcing the arrival of his firstborn. “We have been waiting and preparing all year, and now we are so excited to have our little man here with us. We have begun a grand new adventure that will continue for the rest of our lives.”

“Gabi was a total rock star during Avery’s birth. I could not be more proud of her,” he added. “She has already taken to motherhood like a champ. Part of my joy as his Dad is watching Gabi already crush it as his Mom.”

McCreery has big plans to celebrate Avery’s first birthday, which include everyone dressing up as a Toy Story character.

 

“I would imagine that I’ll be Woody, if I had to guess,” McCreery shared with Everything Nash and other outlets, at a recent media event. “But everybody’s coming over dressed as a Toy Story character. We’ve already got his outfit picked out. Oddly enough, he really likes Toy Story. I loved Toy Story growing up. I also kind of felt like I was Andy. We were about the same age. I love Toy Story.

“And he loves Winnie the Pooh, and that was Gabi’s favorite growing up,” he continued. “He’ll wake up and just point at the Pooh Bear by his crib, and ask for it immediately. So Gabi loves that, and I love Toy Story. You can only do so many characters for Winnie the Pooh for a first birthday, so Toy Story won out.”

McCreery, who turned 30 earlier this month, has loved everything about being a father, both at home and on the road.

“It’s been just the coolest thing I’ve ever done,” McCreery tells Everything Nash. “It’s been the best. I feel like your priorities change, everything changes. You’re no longer thinking about, ‘What are my plans today?’ It’s like, ‘No, what are we doing with Avery? What does he need to be going on?’

“And if we’re gonna go somewhere, we’re bringing him,” he adds. “Everything shifts, but it’s all for the better. And just getting to watch him grow and kind of come into his self and get his own little personality, it’s just so rewarding, and so cool to watch as a dad.”

 

The North Carolina native made the decision to get his own family bus, so his wife and son could be with him even when he was on the road.

“It was a learning curve,” McCreery admits of having a baby on tour. “Bringing him out there, it was the best. I wasn’t having to miss him or Gabi; they were there with me. But just all the little things that a baby needs throughout the day, and then my schedule, and whether I’m doing meet and greets or interviews, or just when I hit the stage, it’s all still thinking about Avery throughout that.

“So, even coming off stage, typically you’re sweaty, and you grab a cold beer, and everybody’s on a high. And now it’s like, ‘Okay, I get off stage, go to the bus, warm a bottle, turn the lights off, get him in his nighttime gown, and go from there,’” he adds. “So it’s a lot different, but I love it.”

McCreery was recently inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. His latest single, “Cab In A Solo,” is in the Top 35, and climbing. He also just released his Christmas song, “Feel Like the Holidays.” McCreery will embark on his Cab In A Solo Tour on January 26. Find music and tour dates at ScottyMcCreery.com.

Read ‘Scotty McCreery: 11 Things to Know About the Country Music Star’ here.