Baby new year

Remington Carpentier is held by his mother, Kathryn.

Paul and Kathryn Carpentier welcomed the first baby of the new year for Elmore County on Jan. 1, 2014, at St. Luke's Elmore hospital.

A boy, Remington Lee Carpentier, was born at 4:32 a.m. on New Year's Day. He was delivered by Dr. Tim Brininger.

Remington joins an older sister, Cassidy, 4, and brother, Rhyan, 2, in the couple's blended family. His father, Paul, 25, is a farmer.

For Kathryn, 22, it was her second child, and in general the delivery was relatively smooth, at least smoother than her first child, Rhyan, who was born "naturally" when an epidural block failed.

Rhyan was actually in the delivery room with his parents when Remington was born. "He was sleeping and woke up, said 'hush baby,' and went back to sleep," Kathryn said. "So, he's good with a little brother."

Kathryn knew there was a possibility of Remington being born on or near New Year's Day. She, herself, was nearly a New Year's baby.

"My birthday was on Saturday (Dec. 28) and on Friday I thought he might be born on my birthday. But when that didn't happen, I thought maybe New Years, and we might have the first baby (of the year)."

She went into labor early on Dec. 31 and was in labor throughout much of the day.

"Finally, I told dad, I didn't think he's going to come this year." And he didn't, waiting four hours and twenty-three minutes into the new year to make his appearance.

This, she said, will be her last child. "I'm content with two boys and one girl," she said.

A modern mother, she notified family members who weren't present at the birth by text and Facebook.

Remington's maternal grandparents are Aaron Fennel and Tawnya Jewell of Mountain Home. His paternal grandparents are Rhonda Siira of Mountain Home and Paul Carpentier II of Michigan.

Great-grandparents include Mary Jewell (a 31-year employee at the hospital), Deb and Hank Baker and Don and Lonny Fennell, all of Mountain Home, and Jonathan Detweiler of Salt Lake City.