Franklin Wilde Sanford Wilson arrived into the world with a bang — amid celebratory fireworks — at Maui Memorial Medical Center.
The bundle of joy was born at 12:23 a.m. Monday and is believed to be the first baby born in Hawaii to herald the year 2018. He weighed 8 pounds, 13 ounces, and measured 20.5 inches long.
He is the first child of Amanda and Johnny Wilson of Kihei, Maui.
While the official due date was actually today, baby Franklin had ideas of his own.
“We’re super excited, feeling super blessed, and he’s basically famous already,” said Amanda Wilson.
The Wilsons, who recently opened Wai Bar on Market Street in downtown Wailuku, popped open a bottle of Champagne to celebrate their new arrival. They expect to call their son Frankie Wilde for short.
Dad told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Monday that Frankie Wilde was “happy to come into the world” and has been eating and sleeping well.
“He’s healthy and Mom’s healthy,” he said. “It’s our first, little baby, so a big deal to us.”
The couple had entertained thoughts of being at their bar over New Year’s, but thought better of it and decided to stay home with the due date being so close. It was a good decision because on New Year’s Eve, Amanda Wilson started getting contractions early in the morning. She checked into Maui Memorial by noon.
Mom is a biology teacher and college counselor at Kihei Charter School on Maui. Dad is a music composer for film and TV, and just completed work for the film “Go For Broke” with ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro and for Brian Kohne’s film “Kuleana.”
Johnny Wilson said the name Franklin was inspired by Benjamin Franklin, “one of the coolest inventors of all time.” Also, Frankie Wilde is a great name for a rock star, he said.
“He’s the most perfect, cool, happy baby,” said little Frankie Wilde’s mom.
The first baby born in the New Year on Oahu was Melody Jane Irorita-Siri at 1:28 a.m. at Kaiser Moanalua Medical Center. She was 8 pounds, 12.4 ounces, said Laura Lott, spokeswoman for Kaiser Permanente Hawaii.
