Shatoiya Jackson and Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Brian Jackson welcomed their first child, daughter Ambrianna Nevaeh Jackson, into the world on New Year’s Day at Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy. (Mark Abramson / S&S)
Shatoiya Jackson and Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Brian Jackson welcomed their first child, daughter Ambrianna Nevaeh Jackson, into the world on New Year’s Day at Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy. (Mark Abramson / S&S)
Airman 1st Class Tabitha Reynolds and husband Josh sit with Malia Kamari Reynolds born Jan. 1 at RAF Lakenheath, England. (Perry Aston/U.S. Air Force)
Naval Support Activity Naples in Italy welcomed the first newborn of 2009 at a U.S. military hospital in Europe on New Year’s Day.
Ambrianna Nevaeh Jackson was born at 6:24 a.m. on Thursday. The 8-pound, 3.8-ounce girl, who measured 21.06 inches long, is the first child for Shatoiya Jackson and her husband, Petty Officer 3rd Class Brian Jackson. Brian Jackson is a Gaeta, Italy-based serviceman who is surface warfare-qualified aboard the USS Mount Whitney.
"She was late. She was supposed to be born Dec. 28," said the 24-year-old sailor. "It’s special; she’s God’s gift."
The family plans to have four more children, he added.
Shatoiya Jackson, 21, however, said she was not so sure about having that many children.
The Jacksons’ little bundle of joy was a long time coming. The mother went into labor on Monday. That’s when the family had an idea that they would have a New Year’s baby, Brian Jackson said.
"We knew it was going to happen when her contractions started. Our fireworks consisted of pushing," he joked.
Ambrianna is doing well and is not waking up a whole lot during the night, Shatoiya Jackson said.
"It’s wonderful," she said about having a baby born on New Year’s Day.
Ambrianna’s late arrival allowed her grandmother, Navy Lt. Satonya Brown, and grandfather, Derron Brown, to make the long trek from their home in Hawaii to Italy in time to welcome her into the world.
"It’s wonderful. It’s a great feeling," Satonya Brown said. "I didn’t think I would be a grandma so early."
In England, with just over an hour left in the first day of 2009, Airman 1st Class Tabitha Reynolds delivered the first baby of the new year at the RAF Lakenheath hospital. Malia Kamari Reynolds was born at 10:56 p.m. on Jan. 1 and weighed in at 5 pounds, 9 ounces. Mom, a member of the 100th Communications Squadron at RAF Mildenhall, and baby were doing well Friday, according to a Lakenheath spokesman. Malia’s father is Joshua Reynolds, a civilian.
In Germany, Braden Daniel Yearwood was born at 4:59 a.m. on Jan. 2 to Sarah and John Yearwood at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. The 8-pound, 5-ounce boy was Landstuhl’s first baby of 2009. Sarah Yearwood is an active-duty airman assigned to Ramstein Air Base.
As of press time Friday, no babies had been born in 2009 at the U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza, Italy, and U.S. Naval Station Rota, Spain. Officials at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy, could not be reached for this story.
Stars and Stripes reporters Steve Mraz and Charlie Reed contributed to this story.
