Presidential Debate Induces Labor Discussion of a Different Kind

Isaiah McGee had one heck of a Thursday night.

McGee — Waukee High School’s varsity football coach, former Waukee city councilman and self-proclaimed Republican — was celebrating his 32^nd birthday by taking in his first live presidential debate in Ames.  His wife, Megan, who was due to give birth to their third child on Aug. 16, decided to stay close to home with their two sons, Elisha, 5, and Micah, 2.

Just as McGee was settling in for the GOP debate around 8 p.m., his cell phone rang. It was Megan. Her water broke. It was time. He needed to get home.

So McGee packed up, jumped in the car and made the 50-minute drive back to Waukee, but not before he Tweeted the news to the world:

“Left Ames b4 the debate started ...megans water broke . Think baby girl is on her way #babywatch3”

Around 9 p.m. the couple checked into their hospital room at Iowa Methodist West in West Des Moines:

“Made it to the ski lodge aka methodist west we"re already hAlf way there . Gonna try epidermal 4 1st rime #babywatch3”

Just an hour and a half later, another Tweet:

“Hello world! Introducing Sofia Amber born 10:30pm 6 lb 15 oz 19 inches #babywatch3”

“We were joking that the baby would be born on my birthday,” McGee said. “It was a great present."

Sofia, just hours old, was unfazed about the unique circumstances of her birth. She slept peacefully as her parents watched live coverage of the GOP candidates at the Iowa State Fair on the television in their hospital room.