Grandchild #20 is here!

After waiting nearly two years, our precious little Mason Ian Copeland is here! That sounds like a long time--and it was--but after losing Baby Avery at 20 weeks gestation...of which Anne was on bedrest for half that pregnancy...combined with Mason's pregnancy...with six weeks of bed rest, enduring nausea, sickness, and confinement to her bed (in and out of the hospital)...we are so happy to have our little Mason here, safe and sound.

We are also so proud of Cameron and Anne and their never-failing desire to have a baby they could hold and love! Anne was a brick, probably having over 50 shots during her time on bedrest. And Cameron held down a full-time job, taking care of two young ones, and moving to a new home while Anne was in the hospital...all with the help of wonderful people in the church and a great sister--Amy...it was all worth it! "Queen Anne," as the doctor called her! The bed looks great, unless you have to be there day and night for over six weeks!

We visited Anne the day before Mason was born and got to wheel her out to the "Healing Garden"--a place of Peace, Serenity, and Hope. Believe me, after taking four kids out there, I think they'll be calling it something else!

Cameron and Anne, Jaxon, and Sydney--the day before Mason was born.

Jaxon had some important things to tell his mom when we visited.

Notice the enormous pile of rocks--this was before Isaac used them as flying objects!
Garrett, (Jeff and Amy's son, 5 yrs.), Jaxon, (Cameron and Anne's son, 4 1/2 yrs.), Sydney, (Cameron and Anne's daughter, 7 yrs.), and Isaac (Jeff and Amy's son, 2 yrs.)

Anne with all her many ID tags and bracelets from her long stay in the hospital!

The next day, Anne had to have an amniocentesis to make sure Mason's lungs were developed enough for delivery. It took all day to get the results back, but when we got "It's a go!" Anne literally leaped out of the bed and actually walked to the operating room! I was there with Cameron and we all cheered! The surgical pants they gave to Cameron were a bit big! Let's just say that "one size fits all" does NOT apply here!

After waiting one hour in the waiting room, I heard a lullaby over the loud speaker signaling that a baby had been born. I just knew it was baby Mason--and sure enough, it was! I had to act quickly to take this picture as they whizzed little Mason by, taking him to the warming bed in the nursery. Both Cameron and I had so many tears of joy, I wasn't sure I even got a clear picture!

Taking Mason's footprints.
Little Mason's color and breathing weren't quite what they wanted shortly after birth, so when Amy brought Sydney and Jaxon to the hospital, we had to wait for a little while, as the nursery wanted to make sure everything looked ok before they brought him to us. He ended up staying in the nursery three hours! Needless to say, we had to keep the kids entertained in the meantime. They were so good but so anxious to see their little brother!Cameron sharing the videos of the baby with Jaxon and Sydney. Jaxon and Sydney with Grandma Laura.Sydney took a picture of her mother recovering from the c-section!The wait took forever--so after several visits to the nursery window, the nurses got him ready. Sydney and Jaxon became Mason's "official escorts" while accompaning the nurse down to their mother's room. Anne hadn't been able to see Mason for very long after his birth and before they rushed him to the nursery, so she was anxiously awaiting, too! And yet ANOTHER bracelet is added!

Anne, Mason, and Aunt AmyThree Generations

The proud daddy!

How grateful our family is for the blessing of this healthy little baby!