Desmond Jeremiah “D.J.” Emmanuel Thomas’s first act was to take his mother by surprise.
Little D.J. arrived at 4:23 a.m. on Jan. 1, at D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital, the first baby of the new year born in Brewton.
“The plan had been for me to have a C-section,” said Deidra Thomas of Evergreen, who welcomed the baby along with her husband Charles. “The baby got ready to be born and there was no time for a C-section. I went into labor around 2 a.m. and by 4:30 a.m. he was already here.”
Although D.J. weighs only 4 pounds and 11 ounces, he appears to be as healthy as any newborn baby. His mother and grandmother say they are positive that he is extra strong and already knows when he is in his mother’s arms. He appears to take comfort from her and, although he certainly knows how to scream, and showed off his ability, as his grandmother tried to get him into a clean shirt for his picture to be taken. Grandmother Regina Lark is convinced her new grandson has special powers.
“Look at how he stretches out his arms to beat the side of the bed,” Lark said. “When you hold him up in front of you, he stretches his toes out and he looks as if he is ready to stand up. He is going to be a strong boy.”
Thomas, 35, said she has one other child who is 20 years old.
D.J.’s grandparents are Robert and Regina Lark of Evergreen and Clinton and Martha Wiley Thomas of Castleberry.