By Paula Horton, Herald staff writer
It didn't take long for the first baby of 2009 to be born in the Tri-Cities.
With the new year just 27 minutes old, a Pasco couple welcomed their son, Nathaniel Martin Ramirez, into the world.
Amazingly, his mother, Isabel Ochoa, 27, was in labor at Kadlec Medical Center in Richland for only about two hours.
"We got here about 10:30 p.m. or so," Ochoa said. "I was having contractions at home, but I didn't want to come earlier."
Ochoa had a natural birth -- no medication -- and it took "just four pushes and he was out," said her husband, Jose Ramirez, 28.
Nathaniel weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces, and was 19 1/2 inches long.
"The nurse told us he is very healthy. He's a keeper," Ramirez said.
When the couple first learned they were pregnant and due around this time, they were hoping the baby would be born on Dec. 30 -- Ochoa's birthday -- or Jan. 5 -- Ramirez's birthday.
Ochoa's due date was Jan. 3.
"He decided to come out on his own day," Ramirez said.
Ochoa said her quick New Year's Eve delivery was painful but exciting.
"It wasn't even planned," she said. "That's when you get even more excitement."
They also were trying to beat the clock and have the baby while it still was 2008.
"We were hoping for that tax break," Ramirez said. "He was just a few minutes shy of that."
Ramirez said he was speechless for about 10 minutes after his son was born and as the 12-hour-old baby slept in his mother's arm, it appeared his father still was coming to terms with having his first son.
"I have to be the best example possible," he said. "He'll remind me on the first of each year."
Nathaniel has three older sisters, Jessica, 11, Adilene, 9 and Vanessa, 4, who can't wait for him to come home today.
Ramirez said when he got home at 3:30 a.m. to get a couple of hours of sleep, Vanessa was awake and waiting for her baby brother.
"I'm going to be her No. 1 helper," Vanessa said as she leaned across her mother's hospital bed holding a tiny diaper.
Baby Nathaniel shares his birthday with Christian, the first 2009 baby born at Lourdes Medical Center in Pasco.
Christian was born at 8:18 a.m. His parents are Raquel Sanchez and Imer Cardenaz of Mesa.
Sheila Talavera had the first baby born at Kennewick General Hospital when she had her daughter at 12:20 p.m.
The last babies of 2008 also weren't forgotten.
H&R Block was expected to provide a basket of goodies -- items such as diapers, a changing pad, blanket and green rubber ducky -- to the families who had the last baby last year at each of the three local hospitals.
The gift baskets also include a coupon for free tax preparation from H&R Block.
Anthony Dominguez, 24, and Pasha Isaacson, 23, of Kennewick, had the last 2008 baby at Kadlec when their son, Alex John Dominguez was born at 5:17 p.m. Dec. 31.
The proud father said Alex was 6 pounds, 10 ounces and 201/2 inches long.
Alex spent his first day in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit because he suffered some stress during the delivery, but baby and mom were recovering well, Dominguez said.
Lourdes' last baby of 2008 was born at 3:22 p.m. Dec. 30. Maria Madrigal and Omero Cruz-Montano, of Pasco, had a baby boy, Christofer.
The family with the last 2008 baby at Kennewick General Hospital didn't want to be named.
