Duncan, OK | Baby C
On October 10, 2025, I watched them get married.
On Sunday, December 28, 2025, I saw them at church, and they told me they were expecting a baby.
On July 30, 2026, I watched their family grow by two feet.
This Birth Story starts about mid-July with Kaylee and I texting back and forth about how she’s feeling. Tired and having contractions here in there, which was wonderful with an August 5 due date. Her body was getting ready on its own! At her July 29 appointment, she was 4 cm dilated with a consistently high blood pressure, leading her to being admitted into the Birth Center that night.
My plan was to wait until I got the text that she was 7/8 cm dilated to join them, but my own children were in bed, so I went to the Birth Center thinking it would happen in the middle of night. Might as well be there and ready to go!
Kaylee’s Mom, Tana, and David’s Mom, Sunny, were both there for support when I arrived. We talked a little, watched the night nurse change Kaylee’s positions a few times, and saw the date turn from July 29 to July 30 on our devices. Around 1:45am, the nurse said Kaylee hadn’t made much progress, still at a 4 and needing to get to a 10. That was my cue. Making sure to get both Tana’s and Sunny’s numbers saved into to my phone, I headed back to my house to sleep and wait. It’s my absolute favorite thing to wait for!
My phone dinged at 8:06am that she was at a 6 with broken waters. Progress!
At 9:46am she was at a 7, 85% effaced.
Followed up an hour later with “I’m at a 9.” Then one minute later a text from David, “We are 9 inches dilated.”
When I walked back into Room #107, I could tell she was getting close and feeling it. The pressure and burn, with a lot of focused breathing as contractions came and went. Tana and Sunny gave hugs and headed to the waiting room. Nurse London sat Kaylee up to help Baby move down with gravity.
After about 45 minutes of sitting fully upright, Nurse London said, “Okay, you’re ready!”
The mix of anxiety and excitement and fear that hits as a first time mom hearing those words was all over Kaylee’s face. I cannot think of a better person than David to be right there with her. She would look up and lock eyes with him in between contractions and he would look back with his own teary eyes. He was her safe and secure place.
Dr. Elfink came into to check on everyone, and then promptly went to get delivery scrubs on while Nurse London worked with Kaylee through the first sets of contractions and pushes.
She started pushing at 11:53am.
Elfrink came back in at 12:10pm.
Baby was born at 12:25pm!
Cheeks for days! The squishiest, loveliest little bundle you ever did see.
When Elfink had finished up her work with Kaylee, she stepped closer to Cranston and said, “Oh! You’re so cheesy!”
And would you believe that it was actually National Cheesecake Day on July 30th? She was so on theme with her phrase and didn’t even know it! He truly was very much covered in vernix - keeping that skin so baby smooth.
When Kaylee got all situated it was time for that first meal. Nurse Jenny helped Cranston get locked in, and then she said, “We really want Baby to eat for as long as he wants to. 15 minutes or an hour or even two hours!” And CranBaby took that as a personal challenge and ate for two entire hours! Dare I say, two hours and ten minutes? Kaylee’s Mom came in, but he had a whole fan club ready to see him, and he took his time. Everyone else waited so patiently though. It even gave Kaylee and David a chance to eat their first meal since the birth - which included drinking soup straight from the container, because it’s easier to do that than use a spoon while feeding a newborn.
Now it was time to for everyone to see him for the first time and find out his middle name. Kaylee and David had been keeping that a surprise until he was born because they chose a special name in honor of a well loved family member. Nurse Jenny helped get Cranston wrapped up in his name blanket and David held him for the first time while they waited for Sunny to come in.
Sunny and David’s sister, Nicole, had the same reaction to seeing the middle name for the first time on his blanket.
“Cranston Matthews”
David’s brother, Asa had never held a brand new baby, but he was a natural at it.
Then David’s brother, Michael came in and saw the name blanket.
Nicole said, “Do you see what his middle name is?”
He replied with, “Ranston?”
“No! Matthews! You thought his name was Cranston Ranston?”
Followed by hysterical laughter.
Sunny came back in soon after that with Cranston’s Big Sister. She held him and said “Ohhh, he’s sooo cute!” Which is exactly what Aunt Nicole had said when she held him.
Purdy got an eyes-wide-opened cuddle. Poppy stopped by to say, “Hi!”
Sunny brought celebratory cigars. And cheesecake, of course, from Special Days Cake.
Honorable mention to the box of Cheez-Its that never got all the way opened.
It was right around this time, that Kaylee was finally able to noticeably relax. Baby was here. Baby was fed. She was fed. She had on her comfy jammies. Family was there. David was there.
It was July 30, 2026
It was national National Cheesecake Day, also known as Cranston’s Birthday.
Shout out to Pollock Lawn Service, proud sponsor of the aforementioned wedding and birth of this child.
