Simon Cowell was worried he was going to miss his son's birth.
The 'X Factor' boss got a call from his partner Lauren Silverman to say their baby was on his way, and he faced a 15 hour journey to make it in time to be with her for Eric's arrival yesterday (14.02.14).
An insider told The Sun newspaper: "It was a very emotional experience for him - but his overwhelming emotion now is relief.
"He knows he was cutting it very fine to get back and wouldn't have forgiven himself if he had missed the birth. Obviously his number one priority at the moment is the health of his son and Lauren.
"He's so delighted that everything is OK. He's still getting his head around the fact that he's now a dad and has been texting family members and close friends."
Although he's typically calm and in control, Simon is said to have lost "his cool" when he received Lauren's call, but she "knows the signs" and gave him enough time to arrive by her side.
A friend said: "Simon was in shock when he got the call. It's not often he loses his cool but this was one of those times. Even though he didn't want to see the birth, there was no question that he'd wouldn't be at Lauren's side.
"She has had a difficult pregnancy so her health is his priority. This is Lauren's second baby so she knows the signs - she gave him as much time as humanly possible to get there.
"When he arrived in New York she was in the advanced stages of labour."

Harry Styles, Gary Barlow and James Corden enjoyed a break at Ian Fleming's old Goldeneye home.
The late author penned many of James Bond's spy adventures at the Jamaican property, and the British trio took the chance to have a relaxing few days before a busy month professionally.
Speaking to The Sun newspaper, a source said: "The boys had a great time together - full of lots of laughs and all very chilled."
According to reports, the One Direction heart throb attended yoga classes during their warm weather break, although his famous friends opted out.
After their brief time away, the trio will now be jumping back into work, with the Take That singer continuing his work on the band's upcoming return.
Meanwhile, Harry and James will be looking ahead to the Brit Awards on Wednesday (19.02.14), which will mark the comedian's final time hosting the annual event.
While Goldeneye was where many of Ian's 007 tales were written, it was later bought by reggae icon Bob Marley, and is now owned by Island Records boss Chris Blackwell.

Matthew McConaughey was "floored" by his lines in 'Dallas Buyers Club'.
The actor lost 42lbs to play AIDS patient Ron Woodroof in the movie - for which he earned his first Best Actor Oscar nomination - and says when his character had to admit he was dying it had a profound effect on him.
He said: "My most surprising moment during filming was when Ron says, 'Look, I'm dying'. Saying that word, 'dying' floored me. To face that not as a concept, but as a reality."
The actor has come a long way in Hollywood, but he still has fond memories of working on his debut role in 'Dazed and Confused'.
He added to People magazine: "Summer of '92. I had the time of my life and got a $320 cheque every day, which was about six times more than I was making waiting tables at the Catfish Station [restaurant in Houston, Texas]."
Meanwhile, Jared Leto also stars in 'Dallas Buyers Club' as a transgender woman with AIDS and says the key to his role was understanding her humanity.
He said: "Finding her voice and walk helped, but it was really about finding a piece of her heart."

Ellie Goulding is taking her mother to the BRIT Awards.
The 27-year-old singer - who is nominated for British Female Solo Artist and British Single of the Year for both 'Burn' and 'I Need Your Love' - wants to make her mum Tracey "proud" and has invited her to attend the prestigious music ceremony on February 19 at London's O2 Arena, where she will also be performing.
She said: "My mum's coming to the ceremony so I want to make her proud. It's the first time she's been to anything in all the years I've been doing this. And my brother's coming too."
Ellie first won the Critics Choice trophy at the Brit Awards 2010 and confessed she didn't "acknowledge" the accolade because she was preoccupied worrying about gigs she had lined up.
Talking about her pre-Brits career, she told Radio Times magazine: "Things were trundling along for me. I was doing sporadic shows. I remember finding out about the Brit Award but being so stressed about rehearsing for this little tour I was doing. I was too anxious to even acknowledge I had won it."

Courteney Cox has asked her boyfriend to move in with her.
The former 'Friends' actress spent time away from Snow Patrol rocker Johnny McDaid - who currently resides in a guesthouse within the grounds of her home with friend Ed Sheeran - over the festive season and the break made her realise how much the musician means to her.
A source said: "Johnny went home to Ireland over the new year, while Courteney headed to Mexico with Jennifer Aniston.
"The time apart made her realise how serious she is about him and as soon as he got home she asked him to live with her. This is the happiest Courteney has been in a long time."
Courteney, 49, is particularly pleased with how well Johnny, 37, gets on with her nine-year-old daughter Coco, and her relationship has also been given the seal of approval by her former spouse David Arquette.
The source added: "What has really impressed Courteney is how good Johnny is with Coco.
"She didn't let any other men near her daughter but he's always out in their grounds playing sport with Coco and bonding with her.
"Also, David approves of him - they've met a few times and are even planning a dinner with David and his partner Christina. They're all comfortable around each other. Johnny doesn't feel at all awkward about it."
Courteney and Johnny - who have been dating since September - love nothing more than cosy nights at home.
The source told Britain's Grazia magazine: "He and Courteney's favourite date nights are staying in and watching movies - usually comedies - and Courteney makes up these buffets for them with a different theme each week.
"She's in such good spirits around him, she's so positive and it's the first time in years she's been truly content and not worrying about things all the time."

Ben Affleck tipped a waitress over $90 when he bought a cup of coffee.
The generous 'Argo' star was in a rush while in a coffee shop in Santa Monica, California, and left the waitress a huge tip when he realised he was only carrying $100 notes.
A source told National Enquirer magazine: "The clerk told him it was so early that she didn't have enough change in the register and could he wait while she went to the back office safe. But Ben told her, 'Don't bother - you keep the change.' She balked at first, but when Ben insisted, she said, 'Wow, that is so nice of you! My mom's visiting form Winsconsin, and I'll take her out to dinner with this.' "
As he departed, Ben told the stunned waitress: "Good, tell her I said Hi!"
Ben is not the only generous star in Hollywood. Rihanna has been known to tip a waiter $200 while George Clooney paid for a nearby table's dinner at a Berlin restaurant simply because he thought he and his friends were being too loud.
However, one of the most generous of all is Ellen DeGeneres, who upon hearing New Hampshire waitress Sarah Hoidahl had picked up the a $30 bill for two National Guard soldiers affected by the U.S. government's shutdown, presented her with a cheque for $10,000.

Neil Patrick Harris thinks moving to New York City will help his children's education.
The 'How I Met Your Mother' star and his fiancé David Burtka are relocating from Los Angeles to the East coast, and although the weather isn't as nice, he believes the move will ultimately be better for their three-year-old twins, Gideon and Harper.
Neil told Life and Style magazine: "When we're lugging two children through the snow and sleet and wind, I don't know whether we'll enjoy it so much. But I think the kids' eyes will be open to a lot of things that I wouldn't have thought to show them in Los Angeles."
Neil and David recently bought a $3.6 million, 8,000-square-foot townhouse in Harlem, which boasts four bedrooms, two terraces, a backyard and rooftop, as well as a duplex apartment underneath which they are expected to incorporate into their new home.
Neil, 40, is also hopeful David will be inspired to resume his acting career and join him in performing on Broadway.
He added: "We're very excited. David's done a lot of theatre, and then I sort of uprooted him to Los Angeles. I'm anxious for him to get to work more."

Duncan James wants to compete on 'Strictly Come Dancing'.
The Blue singer - who previously finished third on 'Dancing On Ice' in 2007 - is a big fan of the BBC One ballroom contest and would love the chance to embrace the glamorous outfits worn by the contestants.
He told Britain's OK! magazine: "I really want to do it this year. Fingers are crossed.
"Can't you just see me in one of those sequinned 'Strictly' shirts?"
Duncan isn't the only celebrity to express a desire to take part in the show this year.
Former 'X Factor' winner Joe McElderry has his sights set on the contest after recently winning Channel 4's Winter Olympics competition 'The Jump'.
He said: "I would love to do something like 'Strictly Come Dancing'. That would be so much fun. I'm a bit of a frustrated dancer, so that would be nice."
And Jack Osbourne has backed his mother Sharon - who is a judge on rival show 'The X Factor' - to take part, despite her previously turning down the show.
He said: "She's not afraid of Simon [Cowell]. I don't think she'd be bothered if she annoyed him by taking part in 'Strictly'. And she'd be great."

Christina Aguilera is engaged to Matt Rutler.
The 'Fighter' singer's boyfriend proposed on Valentine's Day yesterday (14.02.14) which she accepted, before showing off her huge new diamond ring on Twitter.
Underneath a picture of the couple holding hands with her new ring prominently on display, she wrote: "He asked and I said...... (sic)"
A source close to the couple, who have been dating since 2010, told People.com: "They're very much in love and are really excited to take this next step."
Christina met Matt on the set of 'Burlesque' in which she starred and he was a film assistant. At the time she was going through a painful split from her first husband Jordan Bratman, which was finalised exactly three years ago yesterday. They have one son, Max, six, together, who they share custody of.
Friends of the Christina, 33, also say she can't wait to be a mother again, with some suggesting she and Matt could soon try for a baby together.
A source said: "She's made it clear that her next child must be born before she is 35. She's adamant she's not going giving birth when she's nearing 40."

Beyonce has a "mostly plant-based diet".
The 'Drunk in Love' singer tried out becoming vegan for 22 days with her husband Jay Z in the lead up to Christmas and has since mostly kept to it, according to Marco Borges, her personal trainer.
He told E! news: "She is all about health and wellness. She just wants to feel good. The transition [from vegan] was fairly easy because [now] she's sticking to a mostly plant-based diet with some fish here and there."
Although Jay, 44, is thought to have gone back to eating meat, he does like to support Beyonce by hitting the gym with her whenever possible.
Marco added: "They're like every other couple, they love spending time together, they'll work out together whenever its possible, whenever their touring schedules allow. They'll absolutely jump in the gym whenever they can, she'll be running and he'll be on a bike, or she'll be jumping rope and he'll be running."
Marco also added the music obsessed pair are great at making workout playlists, and Beyonce even sings along to her own tracks if they come on the stereo.
He said: "They listen to everything. Jay really feels that music shouldn't have genres, it's either good or bad. They have great playlists, if they were DJ's they'd get paid millions. If one of her songs comes on she'll sing along."

Simon Cowell has named his son Eric after his father.
The reality TV mogul and his partner Lauren Silverman have decided to name their firstborn - who was delivered two weeks early yesterday (14.02.14) weighing six pounds and seven ounces - in honour of his late father, who passed away in 1999.
Simon, 54, wrote on Twitter: "Very happy to say Eric was born at 17.45pm. Healthy and handsome."
He later added: "Lauren in great shape. Thanks for all of your kind messages."
The couple had been rumoured to be naming the baby Simon, and the star teased they had settled on a moniker for the tot last November, but they were determined to keep it a secret.
He told E! news: "Actually, we agreed on a name last night, me and Lauren. I'm not going to say what it is yet, but I'm happy."
Simon was joined in the delivery room for the birth by Lauren's parents.
Many celebrities have already weighed in to pass on their congratulations to 'The X Factor' judge and Lauren on their new arrival.
David Walliams - who stars on the judging panel of 'Britain's Got Talent' with Simon - joked on Twitter: "Huge congratulations to @SimonCowell and Lauren Silverman on the birth of their son. They have named him David Sinitta Louis-Walsh Cowell.(sic)"
Simon's close friend and ex-girlfriend Terri Seymour wrote: "Congratulations to @simoncowell and Lauren! Welcome to the world Baby Cowell!!! XX (sic)"
Former 'Britain's Got Talent' judge and friend Piers Morgan posted a picture of Simon as a boy with his father and tweeted: "A young Simon Cowell with his father Eric, who he adored ... lovely tribute to name his son after him (sic)."

Simon Cowell has become a father for the first time.
'The X Factor' judge's partner, Lauren Silverman, gave birth to a healthy baby boy weighing six pounds and seven ounces at 17:45 local time at New York's Lenox Hill Hospital on Valentine's Day today (14.02.14).
Simon flew from London to the US by private jet as soon as he heard Lauren had gone into labour, arriving this morning, and he was by her side as she gave birth.
A source told JustSimonCowell.com: "You couldn't take the smile of Simon's face. Ever since he walked in the hospital he was beaming from ear-to-ear.
"Lauren was so happy to see him when he walked in. It is the perfect Valentine's gift the couple could have."
Despite being two born two weeks early, Lauren and the baby are reported to be in good health.
The couple are naming the baby after the 54-year-old music mogul, according to an attendee to Lauren's baby shower in December.
The source told RadarOnline.com: "It shouldn't come as a shock, but Simon and Lauren really seem to be planning to name their son Simon.
"There were baby clothes and little games all personalised with the name 'Simon' for the baby."
Simon had to miss today's 'Britain's Got Talent' auditions in London today, but sent a message to the show's remaining judges David Walliams, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon.
It said: "I'm sorry I can't be here today. My son has decided to arrive early. You all have a big responsibility to find some great talent today without me."