BLANCHARDVILLE - Aaron Harris expected to be in the room when his wife, Tammy, gave birth to their second child: After all, he was in the room when their son, Ryan, was born 21 months ago.
But he never expected to be the one to deliver the baby.
And he certainly never expected to deliver the baby along the side of the road.
Aaron Harris can't help but smile when he talks about the trip he and Tammy took to Madison Sunday morning.
What began as a trip to the hospital ended with Harris delivering his daughter along Wisconsin 18/151.
Tammy was four days past her due date when she felt contractions and told Aaron she had to go to the hospital. They called Tammy's mother, Carol Gilbertson, to watch Ryan, and got in the car for the trip.
Aaron drove as fast as he could.
"The curves were icy so I had to slow down but then I would speed up on the straight-aways," he laughed.
About 10 minutes from the hospital, Tammy told Aaron the baby was coming.
There wasn't time to get to the hospital. Aaron had no other choice but to deliver the baby himself.
"I pulled over to the side of the road and ran around to the passenger side," he said.
Tammy didn't even have time to get into the back seat, or, for that matter, to recline the seat all the way back, she said.
"I was just trying to breathe and clenching the side of the car," she said.
Aaron isn't trained for these kinds of things - he hangs drywall for a living, Tammy said. But he seemed to instinctively knew what he was supposed to do.
"I didn't have time to think about anything," he said. "I was praying the whole time that everything would be OK."
Tammy couldn't believe how fast the baby was born. It took just a few minutes for Aaron to deliver the baby.
Aleah Elaine Harris was born at 12:40 a.m., and she was perfect. She was breathing and within a short time began sucking on her fingers, Tammy said.
"I covered her up with my coat to keep her warm," Aaron added.
Police cars and an ambulance arrived within a few minutes. Aaron called them on his phone and they gave him some instructions and told him that help was on the way.
"One of the ladies in the ambulance said this was the first time she had ever seen anything like this," Aaron said.
Tammy finished the trip to St. Mary's in the ambulance while Aaron followed in the car. He laughed when he said his hands still shook as he tried to follow the ambulance.
"I think I ran a couple of stop lights but I figured it was OK," he said.
Aleah and Tammy came home from the hospital Tuesday.
"This will be her 'Show-and-Tell' story in school some day," Tammy smiled.
But he never expected to be the one to deliver the baby.
And he certainly never expected to deliver the baby along the side of the road.
Aaron Harris can't help but smile when he talks about the trip he and Tammy took to Madison Sunday morning.
What began as a trip to the hospital ended with Harris delivering his daughter along Wisconsin 18/151.
Tammy was four days past her due date when she felt contractions and told Aaron she had to go to the hospital. They called Tammy's mother, Carol Gilbertson, to watch Ryan, and got in the car for the trip.
Aaron drove as fast as he could.
"The curves were icy so I had to slow down but then I would speed up on the straight-aways," he laughed.
About 10 minutes from the hospital, Tammy told Aaron the baby was coming.
There wasn't time to get to the hospital. Aaron had no other choice but to deliver the baby himself.
"I pulled over to the side of the road and ran around to the passenger side," he said.
Tammy didn't even have time to get into the back seat, or, for that matter, to recline the seat all the way back, she said.
"I was just trying to breathe and clenching the side of the car," she said.
Aaron isn't trained for these kinds of things - he hangs drywall for a living, Tammy said. But he seemed to instinctively knew what he was supposed to do.
"I didn't have time to think about anything," he said. "I was praying the whole time that everything would be OK."
Tammy couldn't believe how fast the baby was born. It took just a few minutes for Aaron to deliver the baby.
Aleah Elaine Harris was born at 12:40 a.m., and she was perfect. She was breathing and within a short time began sucking on her fingers, Tammy said.
"I covered her up with my coat to keep her warm," Aaron added.
Police cars and an ambulance arrived within a few minutes. Aaron called them on his phone and they gave him some instructions and told him that help was on the way.
"One of the ladies in the ambulance said this was the first time she had ever seen anything like this," Aaron said.
Tammy finished the trip to St. Mary's in the ambulance while Aaron followed in the car. He laughed when he said his hands still shook as he tried to follow the ambulance.
"I think I ran a couple of stop lights but I figured it was OK," he said.
Aleah and Tammy came home from the hospital Tuesday.
"This will be her 'Show-and-Tell' story in school some day," Tammy smiled.