TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The first 2013 baby born at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital was a six pound, eight ounce girl named Kennedy.
Kennedy was born at 2:08 a.m. on January 1. For her mother, Kimberly Cato, having a baby was the last thing she expecting to happen on New Year's Day.
“I hope it’s lucky, because I was not expecting to have a New Year’s baby, because she wasn’t due until the 21st,” said Cato. “I came into the ER thinking they would check me out, give me something for the pain and send me home, but it was an extremely fast birth. I came into the ER around 12:45 a.m. and was four centimeters, so I thought I had time, but I progressed really fast.
"All of the nurses were smiling and telling me everything would be okay," Cato continues, "but I was in so much pain, and it went so fast I barely had time to wrap my head around what was happening. After she was born, I couldn’t believe I had just done that. Out of all of my children, this was definitely my craziest birth.” "
Despite being a few weeks early, baby Kennedy is a healthy weight and 20 inches long. Both mother and daughter are doing well, according to hospital representatives, and look forward to going home, especially so that she can meet her brother and sister.
“My little girl will be so excited to see her,” said Cato. “She’ll be all over her. My son will probably pay her more attention once he realizes she’s not going anywhere.”
Because everything went so well with the birth, Cato is expected to go home in a few days. When asked what she most looked forward to about taking her new baby home, she said “showing everyone how much she looks like her brother when he was this size. They look just alike, except she has a little more hair.”
Kennedy wasn't the first 2013 baby born in Tallahassee. To read about the first, click the link below under "More Coverage."
