MHHS Welcomes First Baby of 2019

For Callie Gordon and Kenny Carpenter, the start of 2019 not only welcomes a new calendar year, but also a new member to their family.

Kalei Rose Carpenter was born at 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 2, becoming the first baby born in the new year at Morristown-Hamblen Healthcare System. She weighed 5 lbs., 7 oz. and was 19.5 inches long. She is the granddaughter of Stephanie Cartwright.

The parents, both of Morristown, were very excited to meet their first child.

“My due date was for January 1 and we had come into the hospital that morning for me to be induced,” Gordon said. “But Kalei had a different date in mind.”

After Kalei was born early Wednesday morning, the parents were eager to verify the gender of their baby.

“She was shy every time we had an ultrasound,” Kenny said. “We were told we were having a baby girl through blood work, but it was never confirmed with the ultrasound. It still felt like a surprise when she was born.”

Kim Brooks, MD, OB-GYN with Women’s Healthcare of Morristown, delivered Kalei on Wednesday. This is the first New Year’s baby that Dr. Brooks has delivered in Morristown, after joining Covenant Health in February 2018.

“Giving birth is always a special occasion, but to have the first baby of the new year is icing on the cake,” Dr. Brooks said. “We always strive for a healthy mom and healthy baby, and I’m glad that both are doing very well.

The family was presented with multiple gifts from MHHS and Covenant Health in celebration of their new year accomplishment, including a bathtub, blankets, toys, safety supplies, and baby monitors.

Also presented to the family was the first Ready By 6 Toolkit, containing community resources and parenting guides to help prepare a child for kindergarten. These toolkits are sponsored by HC*EXCELL and will be given out to each new mom at MHHS, an initiative that started this year.

Gordon and Carpenter have decorated their daughter’s bassinet with pink and purple and plan to incorporate an animal theme to her belongings.

“Coming into the new year with a new baby is very exciting,” Gordon said. “We can’t wait to return home with her.”

“We can’t wait for what the future holds,” Carpenter said.