Blizzard can’t stop baby

Grace Schmidt gave birth as planned at her Grayslake home with the help of a licensed midwife and an assistant who battled through a blizzard to get there Tuesday night.

Schmidt said her second child, Gloria Rose, entered the world at 9:34 p.m. Knowing the blizzard was en route, she went to a Hobby Lobby store in Round Lake Beach on Tuesday afternoon to make sure her home was prepared in the event of a power failure.

“I went out and bought about $60 worth of candles and oil lamps,” said Schmidt, 28. “I thought if I went into labor and the power went out, they’d want to see what they’re doing.”

Debbie Boucher, the midwife, said she departed Libertyville for Grayslake about 5 p.m. Tuesday. Road conditions were so poor that Boucher didn’t arrive at the home of Schmidt and her husband, Richard, until about 6:30 p.m. in what typically would be a 15-minute trip to Grayslake.

“I couldn’t see in front of my face,” Boucher said. “It was really scary.”