What are the odds? Valley sisters, married to brothers, give birth on the same day

PALMER - These are odds a Las Vegas gambler only dreams about.

Two sisters, married to two brothers, give birth to two baby girls on the same day, at the same hospital, in the same labor room, and it is the second daughter for both.

Thats what happened Sunday at Valley Hospital in Palmer, when Shauna Cordell, 20, of Big Lake, and her sister Nicole Cordell, 19, of Wasilla, both went into early labor.

Nicole, who wasnt due to give birth until Nov. 25, didnt feel very well Saturday. She called Shauna and told her sister about it. Shauna told Nicole she didnt feel all that well either. Nicole feared she might be going into premature labor and went to Valley Hospital.

Shauna stayed with her sister while she was in labor and comforted her. At 12:45 a.m., little Ali Cordell was born. At just five pounds, the almost six-week-premature infant had to be put into an incubator. Shauna stayed at Nicoles bedside until almost 3 a.m., when she decided to go nap in the motor home the family had brought to the hospital.

An hour later, Shauna was back in the hospital because her water had broken and she was in labor. Nicole, just hours after giving birth, visited with Shauna as she went through her labor. At 10:45 a.m., Emali Cordell was born.

The sisters said they didnt plan it that way. Ever since they met brothers Adam and Jamie Cordell, though, weird coincidences have occurred.

We met the guys and both started to date them. Then we both got pregnant, then we both got married. Our oldest daughters are only seven weeks apart, Nicole said.

Both baby girls are doing great.

Baby Emali and mother Shauna were released from the hospital and returned to their Big Lake home. Baby Ali had to spend an extra few days there for observation and to gain a little weight Mother Nicole had a bed set up in the nursery to be with her newborn daughter. The infant was released from Valley Hospital on Wednesday.

Photo: Sisters Nicole and Shauna Cordell show off their daughters Ali and Nicole, who were born just hours apart on Sunday.

Photo by JO C. GOODE.