Not "Avery" body gets to be the first new baby of 2003

by Rhonda Swain

Sublette County has approximately 50 babies born each year, but, naturally, only one couple claims the honor of bringing the first baby of the New Year into the world. Aaron and Adriane Swartz of Marbleton waited a few days for their celebration of that child - Jan. 5, 2003, to be exact.

That's the day their baby girl, Avery Ellen Swartz, was born at 1:53 p.m. in Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County, the first Sublette County baby born this year. The fifth-generation of Swartzes, little Avery tipped the scales at 6 pounds, 1 ounce, and measured out on the tape at 17 1/2 inches.

Adriane said she had an uneventful delivery. "I had pains ... My water broke and we were headed there (to Rock Springs) at midnight," she said. "We called Aaron's mom in Vegas and she beat the baby here ... she got here at 9 in the morning."

Adriane was admitted at 1:30 in the morning on Sunday and left Monday about 1:30 in the afternoon, for a delivery that she called, "eventful for me, but I didn't have any problems or anything like that."

Until the Examiner called the Sublette County Public Health office to inquire about new babies and public health nurse county manager Annie Sondgeroth called Adriane, the couple didn't know they had the first baby of the year.

"It was wonderful," Adriane said in an interview Thursday afternoon, "I didn't know it was me (who had the first Sublette County baby) until Annie called me this morning."

Married for a year and a half, Adriane and Aaron both grew up in Sublette County, Adriane on the Pinedale end and Aaron on the Big Piney end.

Adriane said Aaron works for A&B Construction as a contract pumper for EOG, while she has owned and operated her own salon, Pro Styles, for two years.

She laughed at the mention of grandparents, saying there were a lot of them. On her side are Gary and Ruth Shriver of Pinedale, while paternal grandparents include David and Marica Patterson of Las Vegas, Ron and Claire Gordon of Big Piney, and Ron Swartz of Mesquite, Nev.

Proud great-grandparents are Richard and Rose Gordon of Marbleton, Mary Lee Waters of Mesquite, George and Connie Metzger of Altoona, Pa., and Robert Hite of Hollidaysburg, Pa.

Little Avery even has a great-great-grandmother, Mary Sparks of Mesquite.

Photo credits:  Swartz Family