Baby born in Amherstburg, Ont., driveway no April Fools' joke

WhenDon Hazelton's wifecomplained of labour pains Fridaymorning, he felt no particular urgency. It was April Fools' Day, after all.

The Amherstburg, Ont.,family hasa long history of pulling elaboratepranks,andthe baby was due the following day.

"We've been joking about this for quite a while now," said Susan Dasilva. "Iwas going to prank them on April Fools', so he didn't believe me. He didn't get up. He just laid there."

No joke

But thecontractionswere no joke.An hour after theystarted, the couple were following their birth plan: get their four other kids to school, then drive to the hospital.

"I didn't even make it into the passenger seat of the car," said Dasilva. "Itold Donnie, 'Listen, you have to call the ambulance.It's coming now.'"

The emergency operatoron the other end of the line asked if the baby's head was visible. Hazeltonwas instructed to undress his wifeto see if anything was "popping out," he said.

"Isaid, 'Oh my God, we're in the middle of the street. There's people all around.We have a convenience store across the street.' Sowe got the car door open [in the driveway], I pulled her pants down and as soon as I pull her pants down, the [baby's]head's there."

Their baby girl,littleSkye Hazelton, was halfway out before the paramedics arrived in the family'sdriveway.

"I was panicking. I thought I was going to soil myself," laughedHazelton.

New car left 'kind of messy'

Once the ambulance arrived, paramedics were able to complete the delivery, and then brought the newborn and mom to Windsor Regional Hospital.

Hazelton still had a few more tasks before he could join them.

"I was still with the kids. I had to get them off to school," he said. "It took a while to sink in this actually happened."

Andhe had to clean up the family's new car, purchased just a week ago.

"It was kind of messy," he said, considering the delivery happened in the passenger seat.

His wife chimed in:"The poor kids! Oh my goodness. The poor kids. They had to go to school after that."

And after the shock and adrenalinwore off?

"We're ecstatic. We're so happy," said Dasilva. "It's all done the drama of the day. Now, we can enjoy the baby. This is a story we can tell for the rest of our lives."