After being in Lake Tahoe during July 4 in 2004, Scott Joines,
the longtime photographer for Morgan Hill
’s Independence Day celebrations, said he would never miss
another Morgan Hill celebration. But as the holiday approached last
weekend, Joines learned to never say never.
After being in Lake Tahoe during July 4 in 2004, Scott Joines, the longtime photographer for Morgan Hill’s Independence Day celebrations, said he would never miss another Morgan Hill celebration. But as the holiday approached last weekend, Joines learned to never say never.
At 3:30am July 3, Joines’s wife Cari went into labor with their first child, and early in the morning July 4, their baby was born. Joines was forced to call in a replacement for to photograph the Fourth celebration – something he knew might happen but never really expected.
“Cari had been saying even when she was one month pregnant, she thought we were going to have a Fourth of July baby,” Joines said. “The week before, she said it was going to be this weekend. I thought, I’m not ready for this. I was really nervous.”
Jordynn Taylor Joines was born at 3:40am weighing in at six pounds, eight ounces and was 18 inches long.
And of course the new parents absolutely adore her.
“She is absolutely perfect,” Joines said. “She has really defined facial features. With her little ears and nose, she is not a typical baby that is just a bubble.”
Joines was also given a really special treat: The doctor allowed him to deliver his baby girl.
“The doctor had known my wife since she was a little girl,” Joines said. “She just decided to give me the opportunity (to deliver the baby). I said ‘Yeah.’ I was shocked I even said yes, I didn’t think could even cut the umbilical cord. But she talked me through it.”
Joines said he plans to continue working with the IDI on the Fourth of July festivities which will now be a little more special for him.
Joines said he will take his daughter to the parade and have a birthday party between the parade and the fireworks.
“This event makes IDI that much more important to us since it is now not only Independence Day, but also the greatest day of our lives,” Joines said. “Our lives have been changed for the better – forever.”
Cheeto Barrera is an intern for the Morgan Hill Times. He can be reached at cb******@*************es.com.
