Baby Weston edges out another newborn for title of first baby of 2024

Maria Flora, The Lebanon Reporter, Ind.
·2 min read

Jan. 8—Weston Michael Eugene Vernon edged out another baby to become the first born in Lebanon in 2024.

He won an array of gifts from area businesses, but his sister isn't impressed, their mother said.

Witham Hospital nurses told Kayleigh Vernon that another woman was in labor when she arrived Wednesday. She figured she'd come in second since she was in labor 14 hours with her daughter, Zoey Vernon, 2.

But things moved more quickly this time. "Everything was just like boom, boom, boom," Kayleigh said, laughing.

Weston weighed 7 pounds and 10 ounces and was 19 1/2" long at birth. He's a laid back baby but loves to cuddle when he should be sleeping. "He's pretty spoiled already," Kayleigh said.

Zoey hadn't met Weston as of Friday because of seasonal hospital visitor restrictions at the hospital but she had seen him during a video call with her mother.

"She's so mad at me for having a baby that she doesn't want to talk to me right now," Kayleigh said. "She looked at him and said 'baby brother.' And I asked her if she loves her baby brother, and she said, 'No, I don't like my baby brother.' She's not real good at sharing yet."

Kayleigh's parents, Becky and Brian Cross, will make frequent stops at her Lebanon home to help out over the next few days. And Kayleigh was eager Friday to get home Saturday and introduce her children to one another and let Zoey get acclimated to the change.

"She adores babies," Kayleigh said. "And I'm hoping that once we get home, she'll like helping with him."

The first baby born at Witham each year wins a big basket of goodies and other items donated by area merchants. This year's basket had a value of $1,800 and included restaurant gift certificates and many other gifts.

Tristan Smith is Weston's father.

Jennifer Smith of Jamestown is the baby's paternal grandmother, and Karen Brown of Jamestown is his paternal great-grandmother.

Other maternal grandparents are Dan and Melissa Vernon of Idaho. Lester and Penny Martin are the baby's maternal great-grandparents.