Joshua determined to be a new year baby

IT was certainly a very happy new year for proud Clarecastle parents Vicky and Chris Howard as they welcomed little Joshua into the world on New Year’s Day.
Weighing in at five pounds 10 ounces, the little bundle of joy arrived five weeks early at the Mid-Western Regional Maternity Hospital, Limerick at 2.36pm on Sunday.
A delighted Vicky said from the hospital, “He was five weeks early. He wasn’t due until February 3 but he was determined to be a new year’s baby. We weren’t prepared, I had no bag packed or anything. I was a bit worried when we drove down to the hospital on Saturday night because he was early but the staff are brilliant and they put me at ease very quickly.”
Although he was an early arrival, Joshua is thriving, with mother and son expected to return home from hospital on Friday. “He’s doing great, everything went perfect,” Vicky said.
Looking forward to welcoming home the new addition to the family will be big brother, four-and-a-half-year-old Nathan.
“Nathan’s thrilled to have a little brother, he was in to see us yesterday and Joshua gave him a Nintendo DS, so he was delighted with that too,” she added.