At 37 weeks pregnant, Alyse Sparkman began to experience contractions and went to the hospital. Once there, she was told she was not in active labor and they sent her home.
Instead of going straight home, she and her husband Sean Sparkman, decided to stop for lunch at one of their favorite restaurants, Lily's Seafood in Royal Oak, Michigan.
The couple had just sat down on the patio and tasted their first bite of lunch when Alyse felt her water break. She told her husband to run and get the car, which he did, but their daughter was born just two minutes later, long before he had time to make it to the car and back.
I'm sitting at a light and she calls me and says, ‘I had the baby.' I was like, ‘Oh no, I can't believe I missed it. I feel so bad,' She goes, ‘Don't feel bad — just get here!'
Can you imagine being dad and getting that phone call? "I was only gone for two minutes!"
Thankfully, the couple had been seated next to two retired nurses and a phlebotomist, who knew exactly what to do to help the mom and the baby (who was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck).
Alyse said that the baby came out purple at first, but after the nurses removed the umbilical cord, she let out her first cry to the cheers of their fellow diners in the restaurant.
The parents had decided on a middle name for their daughter, but after her unexpected delivery at their favorite restaurant, they decided to instead name her Penelope Lily.
(You know, I bet they're glad they were at Lily's and not Golden Corral)
Penelope Lily was only 4 pounds, 8 ounces at birth, but healthy and able to go home from the hospital after only two days along with her mom. Penelope joins two older brothers, who are undoubtedly the reasons why mom handled the surprise delivery so calmly!
Lily's Seafood says they have plans to install a plaque on the patio table where Penelope decided she just couldn't wait one minute longer to come into the world.
Check out the local news interview with the parents here (Dad is so funny!)
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