By Staff
Tiffany Cannon
Franklin County Times
The first baby of the New Year at Russellville Hospital came on the second day of the year. The hospital's first baby of 2008, Haylee Elizabeth Fisher, was born at 5:08 p.m. Wednesday to Kasey and Jon Fisher, of Russellville.
Kasey, 19, went into labor Sunday evening.
"I started having contractions and some pain," she said. "So Dr. (Daphne) Jones decided to go ahead and take her Wednesday evening. Everything went great."
Haylee weighed in at 6 pounds, 4 ounces and measured 19 and 1/2 inches in length.
This is Kasey and Jon's second child. The couple also has a 14 month old girl, named Harlee Shyanne.
Haylee is named after her aunt, Elizabeth Ashley Fisher.
"I wanted to name her after my sister-in-law," Kasey said. "She can't have kids and she's been trying for so long. I wanted her to share in this birth."
Haylee was delivered by cesarean section by Dr. Daphne Jones.
"This is a blessing and everything went great," Kasey said. "Jon is excited, but he's afraid to hold her right now. That's the way he was with our daughter before. But he's getting better. It takes him a little time to get used to everything."
The first baby of the new year had to wait nearly two whole days to arrive but as little Haylee was getting ready to make her debut, the Nurses in the OB/Gynecology unit had a race on their hands.
The department had been empty for the first part of the week, but once Haylee finally arrived, five more followed in a matter of 12 hours.
"That's the way the nursery is," Head Nurse Jenny Williams said. "One minute we don't have any babies here and then all of a sudden we have a bundle of them. We're glad to have them when they're here."
As the first baby of 2008 at Russellville Hospital, Haylee received a gift basket filled with a bundle of prizes, including: goodies from Russellville Hospital, a fresh water pearl baby bracelet from Genesis Jewelry, a $50 Savings Bond from Valley State Bank, a $50 Savings Bond from Bank Independent, a $50 Savings Bond from First Metro Bank, a $100 Savings Bond from Community Spirit Bank and a $100 Savings Bond from Citizens Bank; a vase from Audrey's Gifts &D/cor, a My First Curl keepsake from Ava's China &Gifts, a baby bracelet and locket from Jamie Hood Jewelers, a baby gown from Abby K's, a dinner from Speedy Pig Barbecue, a baby item from Too Sisters, Too Mothers &Others and a diaper cake from the Franklin County Times. The basket was wrapped by Sam Warf of The Blossom Shop.