MAPLE GROVE, Minn. - Any veteran mother will tell you that babies can be unpredictable at times.
Elissa Simonson's third child, who arrived Tuesday, took that unpredictability to a new level.
Simonson and her husband Josh knew they were close to the magic moment as they walked up the sidewalk to Maple Grove Hospital, but as they neared the entrance she told him, in no uncertain terms, that it was time and she could go no further.
As in, this baby is coming NOW.
"She just kind of kneeled down by that bench, ad I went running into the building as fast as I could, yelling 'My wife's having a baby outside!'" Josh recalled.
"I remember onlookers, and I remember thinking 'Hey, I gotta keep my jacket here for some kind of privacy,'" Elissa said laughing. "There's guys walking on the sidewalk, and then she was just there. It boggles my mind."
By the time Josh ran back out with medical personell in tow less than a minute later, Elissa had already given birth.
Behind the bench.
Kneeling on the sidewalk.
There she was with their new daughter McKenna Rose who is healthy, happy and very cute, thank you very much.
Young McKenna tipped the scales at just over five pounds.
A few hours after performing her self-delivery, Elissa Simonson was laughing about the drama, amazed at the unusual start to the new chapter in their lives.
"Thinking back, it could've been something scary but being able to be there, just us two, it was pretty special."
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