Haley and Tyler Waterman were ready for a battle: the Dallas Cowboys-loving Texan wife and Massachusetts-born Patriots fan husband were ready to watch their favorite teams fight it out on the field on October 1st in Arlington, Texas. Sure, Haley was close to nine months pregnant, but since their first baby’s due date was still three weeks away, neither parent was worried about it. They were just ready for one last big night out before their baby girl arrived. The couple took their good-natured rivalry to the stadium, hit the concession stand, and settled in for a great game.
Dallas Cowboys fan goes to Game 37 Weeks Pregnant
As babies do, however, their little daughter had other ideas about how they should spend their night. As they settled into their seats, Haley began having what she thought were strong Braxton-Hicks contractions. She told TODAY that they “kept going and going” and were lasting 30 seconds. She was uncomfortable and the next tine she stood up, she says – she felt her water break. “And it took everybody by surprise,” she remembers.
The fans near the Watermans quickly went from cheering on their favorite football team to rooting for the mom and dad to be. Everyone noticed what was going on, Haley says, “because I kept repeating — basically yelling — ‘My water’s broken and we need to leave!'” Haley says. “I had tunnel vision but apparently everyone was cheering us on.”
Tyler helped his wife to the top of their section of the stadium, where a helpful security guard called for medics to come to their location and transport Haley to the hospital. When her husband wanted a photo, Haley says, she “put her game face on.” They have a cute picture of her giving two thumbs up as she is strapped onto a gurney, but Haley says that behind the scenes, she was scared and emotional. (As a mom, I TOTALLY feel that, girl!) She says that just before the photo, “”I definitely had tears rolling down my face.”
Thankfully the ambulance got the Watermans to the hospital quickly, where it was discovered that Haley was already in active labor. Within a few hours, they welcomed daughter Delaney Lou Waterman into the world at 4:11 am on October 2, 2023.
Since Delaney was born into a house that loves both the Patriots and the Cowboys, her parents say they will leave it up to her to decide which team she loves the most.
“We will let her make the decision,” says her mama. “We will always cheer the Cowboys on, and we will always cheer the Patriots on, but when they play against each other, it will be a house divided.”
