First baby arrives nine hours into New Year

by Peter Jakey—Managing Editor

The first child born of Chris and Angie Kowalski of Presque Isle is the county’s first baby of 2016.

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Callen Christopher Kowalski was born Jan. 1 at Otsego Memorial Hospital in Gaylord, only eight hours and 51 minutes into 2016. So, Callen can claim another first in his young life. He weighed six pounds, six ounces, measured 19 ¾ inches and already has received the nickname, “Snuggle Bug.”

As winners of the annual first baby contest in Presque Isle County, the couple and their newborn received a bevy of gifts from community-minded businesses, including a one-year subscription to the Advance.

Callen, pronounced with a soft “A,” arrived three weeks early and took a not-so-easy path to get into the world – one his parents will never forget.

Even with a due date of Jan. 26, Angie started having contractions in the final days of December, believing it to be normal.

It only got worse on the night of Dec. 30, when the pain kept her from sleeping. The couple went in for a scheduled doctor’s appointment New Year’s Eve and learned Angie was dilated at approximately 4 centimeters and effaced at 50 percent, but that could go on for a few more weeks. They left, but were told to not venture too far out of northern Michigan.

“Went to her parent’s house (in Cheboygan) and were preparing to go out for dinner about 7 p.m. and she said, ‘I can’t go out, I am in agony, this is insane,’ ” said Chris. They monitored the contractions at five minutes apart and decided to go back to Gaylord. “She had not changed from the morning,” said Chris. “The frequency had.” She was given morphine-medications to relieve her symptoms and again sent on her way with the hope of slowing the process.

Back in Cheboygan, the morphine wore off and the pain returned at 2:30 a.m., New Year’s Day, and it came back with a vengeance. The hospital said to bring her back.

Driving back was a lot different than the first two trips because it was snowing to beat-the-band. By the time they got to Vanderbilt it was 4 a.m. and he could not see the road. “I was making my own tracks,” said Chris.

Once in the hospital, Angie went into labor, but there were further complications that led to an emergency cesarean section and a scary moment.

“They pulled him out and we don’t hear anything; and don’t hear anything; and don’t hear anything,” said Chris.   They then heard his joyful cry and got to meet him for the first time. Mom calmed him by simply singing “You are

My Sunshine,” a song she has been singing to him for almost nine months. He was breathing normally within one minute.

Since then, Callen is doing extremely well. On his first day, the infant heard the University of Michigan’s fight song “Hail to the Victors,” 14 times or more as his father watched his alma mater win a bowl game on television — another first for little Callen.

“He is a champion,” said Chris.

“It was a very happy ending,” added Angie.

Callen’s grandparents are Mary Jo and Darl Taylor of Cheboygan; and Rosalynne and Richard Kowalski of Rogers City.

His great-grandparents are Judy and Robert Decker of Onaway; Joyce and Vance Burrows of Onaway; and Connie and the late Bruce Taylor of Hawks.