BOYLE — Jan. 18 was definitely a day to remember in Boyle, not only for Amanda Riley and Steve Blundon, but for the staff at the Boyle Healthcare Centre as well.
A new bundle of joy was delivered inside those walls for the first time in 22 years when all six pounds of Jaxston Blundon-Riley, a healthy baby boy, entered the world that day, and is now the youngest of three for Riley and Blundon,
Riley said she tried to hold off on giving birth until Blundon could make it back from his work site north of Fort McMurray, but when baby wants to be delivered, baby gets delivered.
“He was 10 minutes too late,” said Riley, who was due Feb. 4.
Usually, pregnant mothers are sent to Edmonton and other area hospitals to deliver children, but it seems baby Jaxston decided he did not want to travel further and made his grand entrance, much to the delight of staff.
“My birthing plan was to go to St. Albert and have the baby there with my gynecologist,” she said. “But I didn't make it and it happened around two o'clock in the morning, so I had to rush to Boyle, and I gave them a call before I got there and they got the doctor going and it happened within a couple hours.”
After some time to let the now expanded family get acquainted, the Boyle Healthcare Centre Ladies Auxiliary presented the couple and baby Jaxston with several gift cards March 16 to commemorate the rare event at the village hospital.
“We had the great surprise of a baby being born in our healthcare centre, so have decided to present the new mom with a baby gift from our group,” said auxiliary president Belinda Hague.
Jaxston is doing fine and settling in at home much to the delight of his older brothers Jacob, 7, and Joseph, who’s almost six.
“His siblings are in love; they have been the best helpers,” said Riley. “They call him their ‘Little Piggy.’”
