After 23 hours in labor with their first child, Alim and Cydney Shabazz thought there was plenty of time to get from Ewa Beach to Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children for their daughter's birth.

It turned out to be an unforgettable trip early Thursday for the couple and Alia Cydney Charmaine, who wasn't expected until July 9.

Shabazz, 31, said his wife, 32, woke him about midnight Wednesday with labor pains. They called her doctor and left home about 1:45 a.m. Thursday.

“;We started timing our contractions like the doctors ask you to,”; Cydney said, explaining they went quickly from 7 to 4 minutes apart, then became closer.

“;We were in the car, on our way, and I was telling my husband we still have a little time because my water hasn't broken yet. Then it broke,”; she said.

As they got to Mapunapuna near Tripler Army Medical Center, her husband said, “;I heard a pop and I thought this was pretty urgent. I called 911 to talk to a medical professional. I informed them we were halfway from Ewa Beach to Kapiolani.”;

He said he asked if he should pull over, wait for an ambulance or keep going and was told that depended on his wife. He said he asked her if she could make it to the hospital and she said, “;I don't think so. I feel a head.”;

“;I felt the urge to push,”; she said. “;I felt her head and after a couple pushes, she was out. I just pulled her right on out and set her on my chest.”;

Shabazz said his wife was in the passenger seat of their Hummer H2 with the seat reclined as far as it would go when his daughter's head came out.

“;I'm driving. I felt with my right hand, trying to stay calm and obviously not crash. The next thing I hear my wife say, 'The baby is coming, the baby is coming.' I look over and my wife had given birth and the baby is on her shoulder.”;

Within 30 seconds, he said, “;I looked over and there was one person. I looked over again and there were two people.”;

Bob's Big Boy restaurant in the background provided a landmark for the momentous event, he said.

He said his truck has a lot of handles his wife was able to use. “;Her right hand was pulling her body up and her left hand was making sure the baby didn't hit the floor. I credit my wife so much. It was just amazing. “;

Near the Vineyard overpass, he said, “;I looked over at the baby. It was dark in the car and outside, about 2:15 a.m., and the baby wasn't moving.”;

He said he told the 911 operator, “;She's not moving and not crying, not making a sound. She's not breathing.”; His wife cleared out the baby's mouth with a finger, he said. “;At this point it's getting to be very scary for me.”;

The 911 operator said to grab a shirt or towel and try to stimulate the baby by rubbing her back, which his wife did, he said. The baby “;made the smallest, meek cry. It sounded like a little kitten. 'Oh, my God, she's breathing, she's OK,' I told the guy on the phone.”;

The 911 operator called the ER at Kapiolani and as soon as they pulled into the hospital, medical team members ran out and took care of his wife and baby, he said.

He said he wants to find the 911 operator who stayed on the phone with him throughout the dramatic experience. “;He was a true professional. I appreciated all his help.”;

His daughter will have a great story to tell about her birth but he wouldn't want to do it again, Shabazz said.

“;It was scary and exciting,”; said the mother of the six-pound, 15-ounce, 20-inches long baby girl. “;We planned for every scenario but the one that's actually occurred. It all worked out ... I can't believe it either, to be honest with you.”;

She said her husband “;did a good job. It was pretty scary to witness and stay calm and continue to get me there.”;

Shabazz laughed, saying, “;I told the hospital, 'you can't charge me for delivery because we did that on our own.”;

The family returned to their home on Kahoi St. yesterday after 22-month-old son, Alim II, met his new sister at the hospital.

“;She's cool,”; he said.