JAMESTOWN, N.D. (JRMC) – Baby Julia Bushard may have a lifetime of sports in her future, if her dad has anything to do with it.

Jaydenle Bushard, Kulm, said he plans to introduce his daughter to basketball by the time she is five years old.

“Maybe she’ll play pro one day,” he said, smiling.

He and his sister played in high school, so he hopes for the same for his children.

Bushard and his girlfriend, Brianna Rosewaren, are the proud parents of the 2019 New Year’s Baby at Jamestown Regional Medical Center. Dr. Justin Rosenau, Sanford Health, delivered Julia at 9:43 a.m. Jan. 1 after her mother labored all night. Julia measured 21 inches long and weighed 8 pounds, 15 ounces.

The Kulm couple said the birth was serendipitous. Rosewaren had already traveled the 55 miles to Jamestown on Dec. 31 since she had an eye doctor appointment that morning. Since she could feel contractions and the couple lived out-of-town, they stopped in for a check.

“We were worried she was going to be born at home during the blizzard the weekend before. Our local ambulance service even told us to prepare for a home birth,” Rosewaren said.

Because Julia was the New Year’s Baby, JRMC delivered a special baby’s basket for a gift. The basket included general baby toys and accessories, as well as a special blanket from Hazel Scott, Jamestown. Scott volunteers her time, knitting about 200 baby blankets per year. Scott knitted this one in white, especially for the New Year’s baby.

As of Jan. 2, baby Julia is one of three new babies at JRMC. Last year, 369 babies were born at JRMC, said Family BirthPlace Manager Emily Woodley. That is about a 10 percent increase from the 333 babies born in 2017.