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Colorado parents caught off guard by surprise arrival of 2023's first baby

Colorado Parents caught off guard by surprise arrival of 2023's first baby
Colorado Parents caught off guard by surprise arrival of 2023's first baby 00:31

The presumed first baby born in 2023 in Colorado was not expected to be a part of the race.

Jimena, the daughter of Jessica Alvarez and Eduardo Jimenez from Aurora, came into the world more than a month early. 

"We never thought she would be born in January, let alone right at the beginning of 2023. It was a big surprise," said Jessica Alvarez.  

The 4-pound, 4-ounce baby was born at 12:07 a.m. Sunday. She is the couple's first child and was delivered at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora.

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Jimena Giselle UCHealth/Jessica Alvarez

CBS News Colorado has not been made aware of a baby born in the state closer to the start of the New Year. 

But make no mistake, there was competition. 

Kai Miles Thorne, weighing at 7 pounds, 11 ounces, was born at 12:29 a.m. to parents Amanda Mahler and Miles Thorne of Colorado Springs at UCHealth Memorial Hospital North in the Springs. 

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Kai Mahler and mom Amanda. UCHealth

Noah Stephen made his entrance at 12:42 a.m. Stephen was born at Intermountain Healthcare's Good Samaritan Hospital in Lafayette. 

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Noah Stephen Intermountain Healthcare

Not far behind was Joevonni Rae Baez, a 5-pound, 7-ounce bundle of joy born to Krimson Avila and Joseph Baez at 12:56 a.m. at Denver Health Medical Center. 

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Joevonni and family Denver Health Medical Center

Joevonni's parents received a gift from the hospital's Newborns in Need program "to help with the dirty work" in the coming year: 2,023 diapers.  

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