Try as she might, little Marita Hallstrom didn’t quite make it in time to see 2015.
Marita, born to Jana and Nathan Hallstrom, was the first baby of the year born in Clark County. Marita was born at 12:30 a.m. at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center — about three weeks earlier than her original due date.
She’s small, just 4 pounds 12 ounces, but otherwise healthy and content.
“It was kind of weird to know that she was the first baby,” Jana said.
The couple first went into the hospital early in the day on New Year’s Eve when Jana thought she was going into labor. But doctors found no signs that Marita was on her way, and sent her home.
“I got here and everything kind of stopped,” Jana said.
But Jana, who has six other children ranging in ages from 2 to 10, knew the drill: Her baby was on the way. Rather than drive all the way home in rural Clark County north of Battle Ground, they stuck around in the area until Hallstrom could feel herself going into labor again. She was admitted at 8 p.m.
Jana is a stay-at-home mother. Her husband, Nathan, works at DJ’s Electrical Inc. in Battle Ground.
Legacy Salmon Creek welcomed its first baby, Rowan Oliver Boynton-Miller, to the world at 5:45 a.m. Friday. He was born to Rachel Boynton and Michael Miller, and weighs 8 pounds 9 ounces.
