2010's first babies beat the clock

Douglas Luther Shealy III didn't want to wait until Jan. 14, so he introduced himself to Highlands County a little more than two hours into 2010.

Mom Raeshawna Smith, 21, of Avon Park, gave birth to her 6-pound, 7-ounce bouncing baby boy at 2:18 a.m. on Jan. 1 at Highlands Regional Medical Center. Coming 13 days ahead of schedule gave Shealy the distinction of being the first-born baby in Highlands County for this brand new decade.

Twelve hours later, mom, son and grandmother, Kaye Jordan, were resting comfortably in their hospital room. The two women were excited, but visibly exhausted from the early morning birth.

"I was going through the labor pains just like she was," Jordan said.

Their room also had the unmistakable smell of McDonald's chicken McNuggets, which Raeshawna was enjoying while lying in bed with her son.

Little Douglas represents the fourth generation for Jordan's family. She rushed up to Highlands County Thursday from Tampa so she could be there to witness her grandson's birth.

"We're doing fine," Raeshawna said, although she did admit to giving the staff a "hard time."

Over at Florida Hospital Heartland Division, Carlos Ayala, 28, was busy introducing relatives to Jacob, who was born at 12:27 p.m. on Jan. 1. Mom Briseida, 27, was in recovery following her Cesarean section.

Like little Douglas, Jacob also entered the world a few days earlier than expected. Briseida's due date was Jan. 4, according to Carlos.

Jacob, who weighed 9 pounds and 6 ounces, is the third child for the couple. They also have a 9-year-old son and a 4-year-old daughter.

Carlos said he was feeling less nervous than he was with his first two children.

"You already know what you've got to do," he said.

If his wife had not gone into labor, the Okeechobee resident had planned to spend the first day of 2010 on the golf course. Friday's dreary, rainy weather, however, probably would have put a damper on those plans anyway.

As for the name Jacob, Carlos said his wife took it from one of the characters in a certain literary and film phenomenon about vampires, werewolves and forbidden teenage romance.

"She liked it off 'Twilight,'" he said.