By Shavonne Potts and Kathy Chaffin
news@salisburypost.com
A local couple couldn’t wait to sign the final papers to close on their new home in Landis, and neither could their baby girl.
Alisha Vanover went into labor early Halloween morning, the day she and husband Joshua were supposed to sign papers for a new home in the the Oaks of Landis.
“We had the closing scheduled to take place at 2:30 p.m., and the baby decided to make its announcement at 1:30 in the morning,” said Debra Aldridge, True Homes closing coordinator.
Alisha was taken to Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast in Concord, where she gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Ava Grace Vanover was delivered by Caesarean section five days earlier than the scheduled Nov. 4 date.
She weighed 6 pounds, 3 ounces and was 19 1/4 inches long.
Later in the day, True Homes staff arranged for Brent King, a Huntersville attorney, to go over the real estate paperwork with the Vanovers. Agent Michael Upright, with Kannapolis Real Estate Agency, also went to the hospital for the closing.
True Homes USA ó formerly Craft Homes USA ó developed the property.
Aldridge said in the 10 years she’s been in the property development business, she has never seen anything like this.
She said it’s very unusual, but the company was willing to adjust its plans for the Vanovers.
“They were excited about getting into their new house,” she said. “We wanted to accommodate them.”
Alisha Vanover and Ava Grace were in the hospital for four days before leaving for their brand new home. “My husband worked really, really hard to move us in over the weekend,” she said.
The house is a lot bigger than the 1,000-square-foot rental they were living in. “This is right at 2,000 square feet,” Alisha said.
Ava Grace is the second child for the Vanovers. They have a 4-year-old son, Myles.
“Myles is an April Fool’s baby,” Alisha said, “so we have an April Fool’s baby and a Halloween baby.”
Alisha said Myles is very excited about his baby sister. “He loves her to death,” she said. “He’s very, very happy.”
Myles is also excited about his new bedroom, decorated in a Ninja turtle theme. “He’s been a Ninja turtle for the past two Halloweens,” she said.
Ava Grace’s nursery doesn’t have a particular theme, Alisha said, but it’s pink and green and decorated in “little girly” stuff.
Alisha, who works in patient services for developmental and behavioral pediatrics at CMC-NorthEast, said she’s excited about her new kitchen. “I went from having hardly any cabinet space to tons of it,” she said.
Joshua, on the other hand, is most excited about his office. He’s an artist and works as a graphic designer, she said, “so he has to have his own space.”
The Vanovers have had lots of company since moving into their new home, including Alisha’s parents, Debbie and John Garmon of Rowan County, and Joshua’s parents, Betsy and Malvin Vanover of Winston-Salem.
“We’re excited and looking forward to raising our children in a new home and living our lives here,” Alisha said.
Myles added, “Life is good.”
Debra Aldridge said the Vanovers are the second couple to purchase a home in the subdivision. Four homes have been sold and six more are expected to close before the end of the year.
The four phases of the Oaks of Landis call for a total of 235 homes.
The property sits on U.S. 29 just south of the Stag ‘N Doe Pizza House in China Grove.