'Lots to celebrate'

Michael and Stephanie Kadrmas don't typically stay up until midnight on New Year's Eve.

But this year's holiday was anything but typical for the Jamestown, N.D., couple.

Complications with her pregnancy landed Stephanie in a Jamestown hospital Sunday. That night, an ambulance took Stephanie to Fargo's MeritCare Hospital, where Dr. Keith Lesteberg performed a Caesarean section.

At 12:46 a.m. Monday, Stephanie and Michael became the parents of Fargo-Moorhead's first baby of 2007, a full five weeks before Stephanie's Feb. 5 due date.

"It was a wild 36 hours," Stephanie said.

Their daughter, Sabrina Kristin Kadrmas, weighed 7 pounds and measured 19¾ inches long.

The honor of being the parents of the New Year's baby is nice, the couple says, but primarily they're grateful to have a healthy baby.

Sabrina is expected to be in neonatal intensive care for about two to three weeks.

Stephanie was looking forward to holding her daughter for the first time late Monday afternoon, after resting and spending time with news media. She is expected to be discharged Thursday but plans to stay in Fargo until she can bring her daughter home.

Sabrina is the couple's second child. Two-year-old Ian stayed in Jamestown with his grandparents and planned to meet his new sister today.

"He's walking around saying, 'Baby sister, baby sister,' " said Sally Van Beek, of Jamestown, Stephanie's mother.

The two siblings already have a few things in common. Both were born early, had a full head of black hair and weighed exactly 7 pounds.

Michael and Stephanie didn't know Sabrina's gender ahead of time. They picked 40 boys' names and 20 girls' names and spent the last 20 minutes before surgery narrowing down the list.

Sabrina has the same initials - SKK - as her mother and her grandmother. The middle name Kristin is for Stephanie's sister.

Michael owns Summit Aviation in Jamestown. Sabrina stays home with the children.

Grandparents Sally and Carter Van Beek say they're anxious to meet Sabrina, who is their second grandchild.

"We're very relieved and excited and can hardly wait to meet this little one," Sally Van Beek said.

As of late Monday afternoon, Sabrina was the only child born at either MeritCare or Innovis Health on New Year's Day.

"I don't know if any New Years are going to be quiet from now on," Sally Van Beek said. "I think we've got lots to celebrate."

Readers can reach Forum reporter Amy Dalrymple at (701) 241-5590