(AP) — Not even labor contractions could keep a Wisconsin woman from driving to meet her husband as the guardsman returned home from Iraq.

Johana Ortiz had gone into labor hours before her husband's plane landed at Camp Douglas, but she defied her doctors orders and made the nearly three-hour trip from Milwaukee.

She says she really wanted her husband to be there for the birth because he was in Iraq during her pregnancy.

When the plane with about 300 soldiers landed last week, commanders directed U.S. Army Spc. Melvin Ortiz to leave the aircraft first. He sprinted to the hangar, hugged his wife and they hopped into an SUV.

They then rushed to a suburban Milwaukee hospital, where a healthy 7 pound, 8 ounce boy named Eduardo was born.

Rock climbing? Indoor beach volleyball? Water parks? Arts and crafts? NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have your look at ways to spend your winter break. Credit: Newsday/Howard Schnapp, Kendall Rodriguez; Gary Licker

Things to do now on LI Rock climbing? Indoor beach volleyball? Water parks? Arts and crafts? NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have your look at ways to spend your winter break.

Rock climbing? Indoor beach volleyball? Water parks? Arts and crafts? NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have your look at ways to spend your winter break. Credit: Newsday/Howard Schnapp, Kendall Rodriguez; Gary Licker

Things to do now on LI Rock climbing? Indoor beach volleyball? Water parks? Arts and crafts? NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have your look at ways to spend your winter break.

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