Military Wife Celebrates Motherhood While Husband Fights In War

"We had a lot of the staff taking pictures too, which was nice," she said. "He's just so content. He looks beautiful."

Marine Cpl. Shane Millis, Meredith's husband, was able to see his newborn son, Hunter, via e-mail because he is in Iraq.

"It's very sad. Having a child is such a miracle and him not being here and knowing he would be if he could," she said.

Hunter was born Monday at Western WakeMed in Cary. His father missed the birth because he is in Iraq but he was able to call.

"We just kept telling each other we loved each other and he kept apologizing, saying he was sorry, [and] that he couldn't wait to come home," Meredith said.

Until her husband returns, Meredith is a single parent.

"It's overwhelming and it's scary and it's something I never thought I'd have to do, so I guess it's more disappointment," she said.

Meredith said she is proud of her husband and thinks Hunter will be proud someday, too.

"I couldn't change anything. I hate the fact that he's not here, but there's nothing we can do about it," she said. "They are doing what they need to do over there, and I'm doing what I need to do right here."

Cpl. Millis was originally slated to come home in September, but his wife now says he may return as early as June. She expects the reunion to be one of the happiest days of her life, aside of course, from Hunter's birth.